Michigan's Water Wars: Nestlé Pumps Millions of Gallons for Free While Flint Pays for Poisoned Water

democracynow.org - As Flint residents are forced to drink, cook with and even bathe in bottled water, while still paying some of the highest water bills in the county for their poisoned water, we turn to a little-known story about the bottled water industry in Michigan. In 2001 and 2002, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality issued permits to Nestlé, the largest water bottling company in the world, to pump up to 400 gallons of water per minute from aquifers that feed Lake Michigan. This sparked a decade-long legal battle between Nestlé and the residents of Mecosta County, Michigan, where Nestlé’s wells are located. One of the most surprising things about this story is that, in Mecosta County, Nestlé is not required to pay anything to extract the water, besides a small permitting fee to the state and the cost of leases to a private landowner. In fact, the company received $13 million in tax breaks from the state to locate the plant in Michigan. The spokesperson for Nestlé in Michigan is Deborah Muchmore. She’s the wife of Dennis Muchmore-Governor Rick Snyder’s chief of staff, who just retired and registered to be a lobbyist. We speak with Peggy Case, Terry Swier and Glenna Maneke of Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation.
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[@melissarmt7330]

I refuse to buy a single Nestle product and I will not buy bottled water. Consumers have the power to end this but we have to stand together

[@ignorecorporatenews]

I am 64 years old. When I was a child (1960's), NO ONE bought bottled water, it generally was not present in stores / available !

[@survivormary1126]

I love you Amy Goodman and all of you at Democracy Now. Thank you for fighting for us.

[@Beautybizz28]

I am sooooooooo upset this is crazy!! Thank God for these brave women!

[@tombell7670]

After hearing this story i will never buy anything from Nestle and will share this to all friends and family, to do the same. Without us, the people, Nestlé has nothing. Any way, their chocolate and cerials are pants.

[@joecoool100]

I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER THING MARKED NESTLE AS LONG AS I LIVE!!!!

[@tomitstube]

+joecoool100 - these corporations are doing what they are designed to do, make a profit, the problem is when government becomes their "partner" and allows them make money at the expense and/or detriment of the constituent or consumer. government is supposed to be protecting their people, not privately getting rich off them. most of these right wing governors like rick snyder, rick scott, scott walker, chris christie, john kasich, etc., etc., are using their office as personal cash machines and literally don't give a rats ass about the people who they are supposed to serve.

[@curtisgrantham2392]

+joecoool100 That is the power you have

[@HeyGuy4321]

Big deal. They get it free. Your not hurting them even if u destroy all their wAter.

[@joecoool100]

HeyGuy4321 You have something to learn about big business, if you can affect a companys bottom line by half a percent you can change everthing

[@TheQuicksilver8]

+joecoool100 You got it. Boycotting will always get the needed attention!

[@ps907e]

They give away clean water for free so that a corporation can sell it back to the people they took it from for a HUGE profit...only Nestle...The CEO Peter Brabeck already wants to own all the water in the world and keep it under his house, but all jokes a side he does believe that water is not a human right, Flint is just another example. Nestle pays approximately .50 cents per gallon of water that they then resell for millions of dollars in free profits on top of the millions of dollars they don’t pay in taxes. I believe in Michigan all they pay is 5k for a permit and get a tax cut of almost 13 million, Nestle is just as evil as Monsanto.

[@palisanderbond]

And Nestle does this worldwide. I applaud those ladies. There is no politics in sight who could do anything about this.

[@tribequest9]

The most disturbing thing in this video to me was the FBI serving the company against its own citizens when the company was challenged, if that doesn't tell the state of our affairs then you deserve what is coming down the line.

[@zelenplav1701]

Fiji water too! The people have sewer water to use, while the water plant is stealing their natural resource. Bechtel in Equador even made it a crime to save rain water.

[@vintagestereo]

140$ a month for water is absurd, water shouldn't cost more as 25 a month

[@freedomdove]

+vintage stereo I pay an average of $35 a month year-round--so yeah, $140 a month if plain ridiculous, especially since they live right next to one of the largest bodies of fresh water in the world. Those are more like Southern California prices, and they've been under a drought for years.

[@americana1234]

these women are my hero-- wow this is eye opening-- and very clear to see the outrageous corruption

[@Dankness4201]

The great culling is a movie on KZbin about drinking water if your interested in this topic watch it and inform everyone you love you. Everyone in our nation needs to watch it's so sad

[@dned23]

God Bless these women!

[@iDimOS72]

+D Ned I love American people and these two women(and not these only) proving my feelings right!But your(and ours,of course)governments suck big time!

[@ninilovenana]

Imagine having to purchase water that already belongs to you.

[@danwilliams8597]

Water is a gift from God, most people have forgotten that Korporations are Evil.

[@ameighable]

Next look at the video about how Nestle's CEO says that water is not a human right. It should be privatized because only corporations understand its true value

[@JudgeJulieLit]

As to convert it into an osteoporotic product, carbonated beverage water, soda.

[@Cheapers-Vac]

The Biggest threat to companies like this one is information. Not Hype and emotion. Information that is resourced , verifiable and without bias.

[@telam1744]

😲😳😠 Thank you Ladies for all your work.

[@jamesfletcher9268]

Nestle did the same in California. Seems the water business is really good.

[@neilemac]

+James Fletcher Sure, stealing "we the People's" water, and selling it back to 'earthlings.' Capitalism kills common sense.

[@wood9670]

+neilemac Crony capitalism (i.e. corporatism 0. WWithout government exemptions and protections Nestle would not be as big a problem as it is.

[@pathacker4963]

+James Fletcher That's why the Bushes bought property in Paraguay. We should have all seen it coming then.

[@neilemac]

Did; was waiting to exhale, haha.

[@spiehole]

+James Fletcher Nestle wanted to in Oregon, but so far its been halted by the governor.

[@domener9827]

Coming from "socialist" Europe I can only say that this story shocked me and I'm glad my state prevents such exploitation of public good. I come from Slovenia and a few years ago, the right to water was added into our constitution. Capitalism must be regulated people, wake up

[@payank505]

This is true also in California - during the drought!!! They just won in Mt. Shasta of all places!!! Local officials (known locally as "the 40 Thieves" and who are descended largely from the early white thugs who massacred local Indian tribes and seized their land in the 1850s and '60s) supported the bottling plant there! Mt. Shasta sits at the Headwaters of the Sacramento River - the Biggest Watershed in California!

[@Tyler380]

Corruption is getting thicker and deeper... Oh, and don't forget to flush..

[@redbirdbutch]

This is late, but I'm here from an environmental science class... definitely flush, but no need to flush urine every single time! Toilets make up the most domestic water use (about 30% in the US, Canada, and UK), so flushing less helps with water conservation. You can leave urine in the toilet for a few hours (with the lid down) before flushing it. In fact, less flushing = lessened spread of germs (toilets spray when flushed).

[@prisillaspace]

I have read of Nestlé & I do not purchase anything made by Nestlé. .. I have posted on FB.... If I write to Walmart or HEB about NOT selling these items....they won't listen. If WE STOP BUYING maybe THEY will listen....Please!!! WE THE PEOPLE!!!!

[@laurentmauduit7143]

Go, GO, Girls a lots of respect. Love from France

[@nancymesek]

I want to cry. This is not the America I grew up in.

[@lsobrien]

+Nancy Mesek 'Fraid it is. However, they usually just inflicted this sort of thing upon your red and black neighbours.

[@nancymesek]

+Luke O'Brien I always thought I'd move back one day, but there's no way I'd even consider it unless Bernie is President.

[@dipojones]

+Nancy Mesek America is forever doomed until Americans stand up and fight. The same is coming to every country on earth, after the oligarchy succeeds in stamping its boot on Americans. There is no where to run to in the end.

[@nancymesek]

+dipojones I agree. They're trying to bring fracking over here too.

[@khaartoumsings]

+Nancy Mesek It is the whole world now. These corporate criminals are suffocating and raping the world...But people coming together is effective as Murdoch and corporate media like to tell us we are 'powerless' but we are not, we are powerful and can boycott and speak out...No customers, no money, these corporations don't exist. ; ) K

[@craigbrowning9448]

Nestle also wants to make catching Rain Water on your own property Illegal.

[@JudgeJulieLit]

Catching rain water would be the consumer's last resort defense against Nestle's reducing them to drinking water from a polluted public reservoir.

[@hortsnitsua]

This is where a little socialism would be great. The people locally would own their own water. They could tell nestle to take a hike... take over nestle wells themselves

[@cheshirekat3050]

Yet another reason to buy a reusable water bottle. Mine's top-rack dish-washer safe, freezer safe, hooks onto my belt-loop, is free of the toxic chemicals found in the plastic of normal water bottles, and cost me the princely sum of eight bucks. I just fill it up with tap water (it's well-regulated where I live). Good for the planet, good for my health, and good for my wallet.

[@tiffanyzette7308]

My eyes just popped out: $140/month for the Flint city citizens? Omg

[@quaffer22]

Governor Jennifer Granholm [D] had a hand in this. Tell MORE of the story! Dec. 2003: "Granholm's environment & economic advisors shut out a citizens group & AIDED NESTLE in a two-year-old David and Goliath legal struggle that affects all of Michigan. By convincing a state appellate panel to stay a lower court decision, the administration effectively helped Nestle Waters North America win something the company lost after a grueling, 19-day circuit court trial earlier this year. Nestle can keep pumping millions of gallons of spring water from wells in central Michigan’s Mecosta County."

[@mrrobertsn.y.c]

Criminals run the show, and the show must go on, so sad what America has become.

[@jonahkai509]

This is heartbreaking to realize.

[@JoeJoeKrills]

What a great country for the rich. This is insane. How does the government work for the people? Someone please tell me. It is very obvious they do not.

[@Meekseek]

+Joseph Chavis The government is in bed with corporations they are owned by corporations, governments are corporations.

[@baleriaguzman2399]

Joseph Chavis add me on social Justice network Facebook

[@user-uo4rf4ez8c]

They pulled the same shit in California, which, as we all well know is in a dire drought!!

[@muptahu24]

Amy fits right in with these ladies

[@williamstephens5171]

why is there only women over 60 who are fighting this, and why hasn't michigan's gov been jailed?

[@quaffer22]

+William Stephens Do you mean Jennifer Granholm [D] ? It was SHE that abetted Nestle. Look on-line. 2003.

[@JudgeJulieLit]

To paraphrase a vintage Nestle's Chocolate broadcast commercial jingle, N~E~S~T~L~E~S ~~ Nestle steals Earth's very best ... water. Too in California and India.

[@janedoe1229]

Why isn't Nestle under criminal investigation

[@ibenpishtoff]

I have favored DeerPark and IceMountain “spring” water for years now, knowing that Nestle was not very reputable. I had NO idea they were this evil! It’s time to find a new bottled water source and boycott these Corporate Criminals! But, I would also have to believe that whoever gave Nestle permission to start pumping the water in the beginning are equally to blame.

[@sean2val]

I think its time for the people to take back control of what is theirs this bull shit is going on all over the world

[@jpkjnn6733]

Nestle is a terrifying company.

[@dipojones]

Nestle CEO - "Water is not a human right"....Google it.

[@CatfishSkinner]

*WTF?! GET OUT, NESTLE!!!*

[@jockguy24]

Control the maggots of society before its to late (the greedy disgusting politics and corporations) through legislation at the Supreme Court levels in Canada/USA. Enough capitalism over common sense making the 1% wealthy while the rest of us play slave at their maggoty criminal corporations.

[@UseYourEarsBro]

Those cut away questions are uncalled for but they help to break up the documentary.

[@damexican1671]

we need more ppl like this to take out the garbage.

[@spiehole]

Nestle is still selling infant formula in impoverished countries.

[@vthilton]

Sharing, Justice and Peace for all - Save Our Planet.

[@damexican1671]

shameless gov't leaders & officials

[@jmach57jm]

I Agree!!

[@hayksamvelyan]

Why aren’t we looking at the Michigan and county officials who allowed Nestle to do this?

[@wilde.coyote6618]

Simple, nestle corrupted politics with money. A quite effective lobby. Politicians only serve companies that donate to their campaign. I tell you this, my water bill in Michigan averages $75.oo a,month.

[@janedoe1229]

You should have Moses West on your show. Mr. West invented atmospheric water. He prom 100K per day of free water for Flint Michigan. His fresh free water making machines were vandalized. Yes, Flint citizens were able to get free fresh water. Machicnes were professionally vandalized

[@DetroitLives313]

These are great ladies! They make America great, not Washington or the President!

[@TheFrog767]

Destroy this company now

[@beckyjolong6285]

Everyone needs to go on strike on nestle products

[@scumvs.scum.3248]

Having a politician for dinner anyone? I'm hungry! What? I cant eat people? YES! Politicians and gravy!

[@MegaMahuro]

Boycott Nestlé ...don't buy any of their shit .....

[@Henbot]

What total legendary ladies , God damn awesome them taken on nestle

[@dukeimus]

I'm not sure who I should be mad at. The politician or Nestle. It's like you pay for your tax and water but you still have to pay for water bottle if you want drinkable water. It's almost like LA, where I pay for my registration sticker for the road but yet, I'll have to pay if I want to use the HOV lane and the HOV road took up 2 lines and cause congestion.

[@willy250r]

Well... It’s been years since this video was made and Nestle is STIll pumping water out but NOW its 400 gallons a minute. The permit to do this is about $400 per year. If you think Nestle gives a crap about what people think, you’re sadly mistaken. How do i know? I worked there for 10 years. Truth of the matter is, as long as people buy it and they can make money at it, they are going to do it. NOW, as bad as it sound that they are doing this, i can tell you that just up the road, YOPLAIT uses just as much water if not more. 45 miles east, GERBER (another nestle company) uses more water. If there’s a market, Nestle will screw you and anyone else to make that money. A production manager said “you people need to understand, Nestle don’t exist to provide you a job or to help people, it simply exists to provide a positive return on the shareholders investment. The minute that stops, we close the doors”. Sounds simple. People need to stop buying the shit. Just keep in mind.. if you ever buy a soda pop, a beer, a Gatorade etc, that water also comes from somewhere. Where do you draw the line? Just askin..

[@rushfan9thcmd]

Jesse Ventura and others pointed this out years ago regarding the pumping of water from the lake.

[@northernbeachessamedaysurf6558]

Boycott them

[@faltanato6375]

THEY WANT TO PRIVATIZE THE WATER!?!?!

[@leelotungal819]

Not surprised after hearing Nestle CEO say water shouldn't be free

[@larsonfam3861]

Nestle owes billions and billions of dollars to that region for resources taken, to hear a private landowner has no restriction on quantity of water taken from the aquifers is unimaginable, how can a resource that precious not be being protected???? Nestle should have had to go through a deal making process with the EPA, the state and local government, found a source through that deal that was state determined and owned, and the company pay a reasonable fee for water taken, process overseen and protected by the EPA, and if the state has an emergency like in flint they be permitted to commandeer the process to provide that local water to local people in need, for a price or waiver of nestle payments.

[@SDZ420]

Made me Cry!

[@tommygunz341]

for real, we didn't have fresh water problems until they started selling it for a dollar for 12oz

[@mekajones7273]

what's the best water to buy

[@SpaceManAus]

I would cut of the water and refuse to pay the water rates or go of the grid all together.

[@cooltu2000]

Yet mainstream media did n report this story my first time seeing this oitrage

[@DetroitLives313]

Yes Michigan!

[@williamstephens5171]

LOBBYIST. that says it all.

[@jessmoran7060]

BOYCOTT NESTLES

[@lovesallweneed]

This should never have been allowed. Water is the source of life and no one should ever have exclusive rights to this universal commodity. What next? Making fresh air exclusive to the rich corporations??? so the rest of us poor people have to pay for out breathing??

[@Antzy0001]

lovesallweneed Yes, it is happening here soon.

[@ElaineStDenis]

It is great to see and hear real women. Shared to Google+

[@TatjanaMur]

I've been boycotting Nestle and their sub-companies for over 2 years now. We still have the power of choice in our wallets/bank accounts. Let's play by the capitalistic rules, if democracy has been sold out.

[@Rossboe1]

What are pasties? Pasties are as common as hamburgers in England and Australia.

[@conantdog]

Nestlé the German compamy is stealing our water in Maine .iMaines electric power system is also foreign owned and privatized .

[@kvodesign]

It's a Swiss company. Not German.

[@TatjanaMur]

The company can be registered anywhere in the world [especially because of the taxes] Shareholders can be from all around the world as well. So there is no"nation" to point the finger to and blame. There is only greed and fear. The only thing to do is: stop giving them your money.

[@xemtubex]

HEROES!!!

[@jockguy24]

And still I see idiots buying Nestle products

[@marytennant8246]

God bless you ,

[@benjaminwhite3585]

These women are badasses!!!!! I applaud them! It sucks I'm only finding out about this now, in 2023. Remember, Nestle owns Purina, who makes horrible quality cat and dog food. PLEASE, don't feed your pets anything by Purina!!!!!

[@datapanda_0]

1:10 They should have spoke with Debra longer...

[@janedoe1229]

Privatizing water! Please, slow that down. Pri va tize the water. Explain to the public what that mean

[@sethfletcher3772]

id refuse to pay and move out of flint

[@markrocksthebest]

The water under the plant IS NOT YOURS!!!!

[@klamofanu]

dont buy nestle shit

[@ZEZERBING]

time for a revolution

[@bigbo7632]

Then we wonder water lakes are drying up.

[@SteilLaw]

Check out Flow: For the Love of Water

[@pR1mal.]

The more you find out about Flint's water situation the more you can see that American politics is not working on behalf of the people. It's time for a political revolution, and I want to elect Bernie Sanders in order to get the movement started.

[@loriann1506]

its happening all over the US

[@mushman6045]

Blow up their bottling plants and pump stations

[@damexican1671]

the way i see it ppl shouldn't have to pay for housing for living in Flint & the surrounding states that this poison water flows into!

[@gworlworldh3ll]

How the fuck has noone burnt nestle to the ground yet? Im thoroughly apaulled.

[@janedoe1229]

FBI? Why was the FBI involved.

[@pistoleho1]

does this along with every other issue boil down to money in politics again? for real, fuck the system. Bernie2016

[@JohnMiller-hg7ty]

Boycott Nestle!

[@janedoe1229]

Michigan Citizen for Water Conservation