California may limit how much company behind Arrowhead bottled water can draw from mountain springs

By ADAM BEAM and AMY TAXIN | Associated Press

SACRAMENTO — California officials may vote Tuesday to slash how much water the company that makes Arrowhead bottled water can pull from a watershed in the San Bernardino National Forest, the latest action in a yearslong dispute.

The State Water Resources Control Board will consider whether to issue a cease-and-desist order against BlueTriton, the company that produces the widely-known Arrowhead water.

For more than a century, the company has drawn water from certain points in the San Bernardino National Forest. The water board’s order wouldn’t bar BlueTriton entirely from taking water from the mountains but would restrict it.

The proposal comes after years of fighting between the bottling company and residents who want to protect the watershed and see it restored to its natural state.

Gary Earney, a retired forester with the U.S. Forest Service, looks for springs that serve as the headwaters of Strawberry Creek in San Bernardino National Forest on Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, in San Bernardino, Calif. Earney handled water permits for springs in that area from 1978-2007. The State Water Resources Control Board is expected to vote Tuesday on whether to issue a cease-and-desist order against BlueTriton, the company that produces the widely-known Arrowhead brand of bottled water. The order would prevent BlueTriton from drawing water from certain points in the San Bernardino National Forest. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Activist Bridger Zadina touches condensation on a BlueTriton water pipe in the San Bernardino National Forest on Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, in San Bernardino, Calif. The State Water Resources Control Board is expected to vote Tuesday on whether to issue a cease-and-desist order against BlueTriton, the company that produces the widely-known Arrowhead brand of bottled water. The order would prevent BlueTriton from drawing water from certain points in the San Bernardino National Forest. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Spring water flows from a BlueTriton pipe in the San Bernardino National Forest on Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, in San Bernardino, Calif. As a part of their permit, the company is required to release a certain amount of spring water to serve wildlife in the area. The State Water Resources Control Board is expected to vote Tuesday on whether to issue a cease-and-desist order against BlueTriton, the company that produces the widely-known Arrowhead brand of bottled water. The order would prevent BlueTriton from drawing water from certain points in the San Bernardino National Forest. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Activist Bridger Zadina drinks spring water flowing from a BlueTriton pipe in the San Bernardino National Forest on Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, in San Bernardino, Calif. As a part of their permit, the company is required to release a certain amount of spring water to serve wildlife in the area. The State Water Resources Control Board is expected to vote Tuesday on whether to issue a cease-and-desist order against BlueTriton, the company that produces the widely-known Arrowhead brand of bottled water. The order would prevent BlueTriton from drawing water from certain points in the San Bernardino …read more

Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment