Stand Against Nestle Water Grab

Breaking news: Last night, Nestlé Waters announced that it is abandoning plans to pump the Wacissa River to manufacture bottled water.

Over the last 15 years, Nestlé’s water grab in rural America has been ugly. Nestlé has made backroom deals with public officials against widespread public objection and even tried to bankrupt community groups with lengthy legal battles. The community of Wacissa was no exception to Nestlé’s bullying.

In April, over 1,400 people contacted Nestlé Water's CEO Kim Jeffery calling on the corporation to stop undermining local control of water and pull out of Wacissa.

Then dozens of people across the country chipped in to run a full-page ad in the local paper exposing the corporation’s long history of undermining community water rights. On the ground organizing by the Friends of the Wacissa, backed by the ad and national media exposure, led to a groundbreaking resolution being passed in Jefferson County. The resolution called on the water management board to deny permits like Nestlé’s to pump and sell water from the headwaters of the Wacissa.

Let's create a Wacissa Victory Fund to support other communities working to protect their springs from Nestlé's water grab. Your donation will fund local and national media work, online ads and trainings for activists to bring Nestlé's backroom deals to the light of day.

If just 110 of us donate a small amount, we can seize this moment to build a rapid response fund to support communities challenging Nestlé. Click here to chip in. 

Across the U.S., Nestlé is trying to control water resources to profit at the expense of the environment. Nestlé's strategy is to lock in support from local public officials and seal the deal before the community has a chance to have a voice.

The Wacissa Victory Fund will give us the ability to respond when it matters most – before the drilling starts – and partner with local activists to wage and win campaigns that combine on the ground organizing with media exposure and online organizing that gets results.

Let’s protect more communities from Nestlé's water grab. Click here to donate.

As the people of Wacissa celebrate today, we know that there is more work ahead. Our movement is showing that the people can take on Nestlé and win – let’s build the movement.

Onward,

Kristin Urquiza
Think Outside the Bottle Campaign Director