Have an idea for a story? Let us know! Contact: Lauren Kelly, News Editor Mi news@theotherpress.ca (Y Evergreen Line enters testing phase to Burquitlam Station (Y TransLink experiences major reform post-referendum (Y Coyotes attack dog, mere feet from owner and house And more! Nestlé continues to bottle water 1n drought regions despite protests » CEO believes Nestlé is helping citizens stay healthy and hydrated Lauren Kelly News Editor © news@theotherpress.ca ater bottling company Nestlé and CEO Tim Brown have come under heavy fire in recent months for continuing to bottle water in drought regions, such as British Columbia and California. Previously, Nestlé was able to bottle water from BC for free, but after criticism, the BC Liberal government has raised the cost to $2.25 per million litres. Nestlé bottles about 265 million litres of BC water a year, meaning they will pay about $600 over the course of the following year if this is upheld. Environment Minister Mary Polak defended their decision to keep the cost of water low, as all water bottling companies will have to pay it. This means that, although Nestlé could pay the cost for water at nearly any price due to their size, many smaller companies would struggle to : compete. Polak also believes that it : would bea risky idea to begin : generating revenue from water, : as it should be free to access. : “We will never sell that right of : ownership. We will allow access : but it is tightly controlled.” : : The majority of the backlash : : came as the result of online : : petitions on websites such as : SumOfUs.org and Change.org. : These took root in California, : a state that has now been in : drought conditions for four : years. There have been protests : throughout the state against the : company, and the petitions have : received hundreds of thousands : of signatures. However, in an interview : with radio station KPCC, Brown : stated that he would like to : increase production if he could, : saying: “We feel good about what : : we're doing delivering healthy : hydration to people throughout : the state of California.” Although Nestlé is bottling : a large amount of BC water, : the water use by citizens is : also substantial. In a report : released by Metro Vancouver, : New Westminster had one of : the lowest water usage rates : with 365 litres per person per : day. Coquitlam residents were : slightly higher with 391 litres, : and Delta topped the list with : 632 litres per day. In total, the : population of BC uses 1.6 billion : litres of water a day. Less than : 10 per cent of this water use is : for drinking and cooking, and : industry only accounts for about : : 40 per cent. The key difference Image from knoxvillecoupondude.com : is that this water is recycled : into BC, whereas Nestlé ships : worldwide. Still, citizens will : have to work together during : the drought to keep water usage : levels under control. Water restrictions intensify in an effort to conserve dwindling water supply » A timeline of progression and how residents can help Mercedes Deutscher Staff Reporter s Metro Vancouver faces its worst drought in over 10 years, many are wondering how water levels reached their current status, and what the near future holds for the region’s water supply. “It’s at different levels throughout the province, but pretty much everywhere we are short on rain and really short on what we had for runoff to fill our reservoirs and dams,” Kevin Boon, general manager of the BC Cattlemen’s Association, told the Globe and Mail. Water restrictions have reached Stage 3 in Metro Vancouver, leaving those who : water their lawns with treated : water facing fines. Yet how did : BC’s water supply dwindle so low? : When will water restrictions and : drought warnings be lifted? What : can ordinary residents do to help? Winter/Spring: An unusually : warm winter melts the ice caps : early on the Rocky Mountains. Ski : resorts are forced to cut the season : short. May/June: Extremely low : levels of rain are recorded in : Metro Vancouver. Across the : province, wildfire levels reach : more than double last year’s, : requiring more water and : firefighters in the extinguishing : effort. Early July: Water reservoir : levels dip below 80 per cent of : regular supply. Metro Vancouver's : Level 1 water restrictions are : upgraded to Level 2. Households : are only allowed to water lawns : once per week. July 14: Metro Vancouver : and South Coast declare that the : region is experiencing a Level : 4 drought, the highest level of : drought recorded. July 20: Reservoir levels dip below 70 per cent. Lower > Mainland water restrictions are : upgraded to Level 3. All lawn : sprinkling using potable water is : banned. Water restrictions also : ban residential car washing. July 31: Water restrictions : declared to affect agricultural : practices starting on August 4. : : Fishing for sport will be banned in : : Most rivers. The drought is expected to : become worse throughout August, : and rain levels are not expected : toreturn to normal until at least : September. As the water shortage : continues throughout the region : and province, several more : areas of practice will likely be : affected. Hydroelectric dams, : which produce go per cent of : BC’s energy, will not be able to : produce as much power. The : salmon spawning season will also : be affected, as water levels will not : Image from Thinkstock only be low for the migration, but : also unusually warm. Lower Mainland residents : are encouraged to adhere to water : restrictions as much as possible. : Not adhering to the in-effect water : restrictions can lead to fines.