Following is the press release I received from Maine after the victory at the polls last night. 

The water extraction ordinance was defeated in Maine yesterday. I received a call about 10:00 pm telling me the outcome of the vote. This is the community that I visited the end of October. The grassroots group put their heart and soul into getting to the voters to ask for a NO vote on the ordinance. It can be done. As I told them in Maine, the address may be different but the issues are the same.

Deb Muchmore, PR for Nestlé in MI, sent a press release to Maine on Oct. 22 saying my presentation was “factually inaccurate and misleading.”  Nestlé is still keeping its eyes on MCWC and MI. - terry

Press Release
November 3,2009

Citizens Say No to Nestle and Reject Water Extraction Ordinance

Contact: Jamilla El-Shafei,organizer for Save Our Water and The Branch Brook Aquifer Coalition cell: 603.969.8426 email: jamillaelshafei@gmail.com

Contact: Jean Foss, spokesperson for Protect Wells Water and member of The Branch Brook Aquifer Coalition  cell:207.646.3136 email: jeanfoss@earthlink.net


Wells voters rejected a water extraction ordinance 3,194 no to 1,420 yes.

Jamilla El-Shafei, organizer for Save Our Water, a water justice organization which includes residents from Wells, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport,Ogunquit and Biddeford, who organized the opposition along with Protect Wells Water said "In spite of the Nestle Waters Corporation spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to influence the vote in Wells, the citizens are standing up to protect their water from corporate exploitation and sending a message No to large scale water extraction and No to Nestle! We are hoping that the State of Maine takes notice and that our legislators put water in the public trust."

"Presently, surface water and ground water are regulated under two different bodies of law, yet they are part of the same hydrological cycle. We need to have one law which protects our water, the state's most precious resource and place it in the public trust."


Jean Foss, spokesperson for Protect Wells Water said "Rejection of the Wells ordinance, question #1, makes clear that the people of Wells do not want large scale water extraction. By this decision Wells groundwater remains fully available to the homes and local businesses that depend on it. Wells voters can credit themselves for turning out in numbers to vote on a critical and confusing issue.
Future assaults on our aquifers are likely as water becomes scarce. Citizens are concerned and increasingly well informed. They rightfully demand that our laws, both state and local adequately defend people's access to clean and abundant water."