August 31, 2006

Nestle's neighbors remain worried Company wants more water from source in Washington Twp.

By Tom Coombe Of The Morning Call Nestle will make amends to anyone whose wells run dry near the company's Washington Township water source. It's a promise the company made several years ago, and reiterated Wednesday afternoon at a meeting with township residents. But despite the company's pledge to replace lost well water or dig new wells, and its detailed scientific studies, some residents left with the same concern that brought them to the meeting. They worry that if Nestle starts withdrawing more water, their wells will run dry.h Valley Local Links ''Nobody feels any more comfortable,'' said Sherry Darr, who lives near Nestle's water source and has her own well.

Township supervisors heard from residents, representatives of Nestle, the state Department of Environmental Protection, and the Delaware River Basin Commission. The last two organizations will decide whether to allow Nestle to increase the amount of water it withdraws from its source in the western end of the township. The water is eventually bottled under the Deer Park

brand.

Nestle applied for the increase in the spring, and the DEP and basin commission have been reviewing the request. Because of an increased demand for bottled water, the company wants to raise its monthly allocation of 11.7 million gallons of water per month to 16.5 million gallons per month. The DRBC will hold a hearing on the application at 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 27, at its

headquarters in Trenton.

Darr said residents need more time before the hearing to learn more about the proposal. For Wednesday's meeting, they hired Easton attorney Charles Elliot, who said he had doubts about Nestle's mitigation plan.

Nestle bought its property in 2002 from the Greenwalk Trout Hatchery. At the time, it agreed with the basin commission that any nearby wells that were adversely affected would be repaired, replaced, or otherwise mitigated.

Bruce Lauerman, Nestle's natural resources manager, said earlier this week that the company has also agreed to allow third-party investigations if any wells run dry.

Elliot told company representatives that the ''temporary replacement of well water with bottled water'' is not acceptable.

''People can't shower with bottled water,'' he said.

But Nestle argues their studies show that it's highly unlikely that they could drain water from other people's wells. The hatchery and residential wells use different underground water sources, although there might be a slight connection between the two.

''They downplayed it, but it created even more doubt in my mind,'' Darr said. She thinks Nestle hasn't yet made its case that its water source is distinct and won't deplete groundwater supplies for neighbors.

But Lauerman said it's in Nestle's interest to pay attention to the water supply.

''What we can't afford to do is have our spring resources dry up,'' he told residents. ''We have to protect the system in order to operate.''

BANGOR, Pa. (AP) - The company proposing to draw more water from its Washington Township source to bottle under the Deer Park brand promised to make amends to any nearby residents whose wells run dry as a result.

But Sherry Darr, who lives near the Nestle water source and has her own well, said after Wednesday's township supervisors' hearing that despite the assurances, "Nobody feels any more comfortable."

Supervisors heard from residents, representatives of Nestle, the state Department of Environmental Protection, and the Delaware River Basin Commission. The last two organizations will decide whether to allow Nestle to increase the amount of water it withdraws from 11.7 million gallons to

16.5 million gallons a month.

Nestle has said its studies show it is highly unlikely that water would be drained from other wells. The company agreed with the DRBC when it bought the property in 2002 from the Greenwalk Trout Hatchery that any nearby wells that were adversely affected would be repaired, replaced, or the loss would be otherwise mitigated.

Attorney Charles Elliot, representing residents, questioned the mitigation plans, however. "Temporary replacement of well water with bottled water" is not acceptable, he told company representatives. "People can't shower with bottled water."

The DRBC plans a hearing on the application Sept. 27 at its headquarters in Trenton.