Yesterday, Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow tweeted:
On way to Sao Loraunco where Nestle has a big operation and is destroying the ancient waters of this beautiful town.
— Maude Barlow (@MaudeBarlow) June 8, 2014
Nestle Waters markets bottled water from the Parque das Águas da Cidade de São Lourenço (the Water Park of the City of City of São Lourenço) in Brazil.
A petition in Portuguese notes, “The [taking of 53,000 litres of water per hour] is not adequately supported by any technical/ scientific study that ensures the preservation, as required by the laws of gaseous mineral waters and this medical office. …The other waters have been changing in its chemical composition and losing the taste and many sources already with very little flow. The continuation of this exploration will bring irreversible damage to the Parque das Águas and our city that lives mainly from tourism and therefore the citizens who live in it, live it, and in it their hopes of an adequate quality of life.”
Corporate Watch further explains that, “The Serra da Mantiqueira region of Brazil is famous for its Circuito das Aguas, or “water circuits”, with high mineral content and medicinal properties. Four small towns, São Lourenço, Caxambu, Cambuquira, and Lambari, were built up around these water circuits in the 19th century. But now the mineral content of the water is being reduced by over-pumping by Nestle/Perrier for its Pure Life brand. …Residents discovered that Nestlé/Perrier was pumping huge amounts of water in the park from a well 150 meters deep. The water was then demineralized and transformed into Pure Life table water. …The Brazilian constitution does not allow mineral water to be demineralized….”
In 2001, charges were brought against Nestle because of this violation. “Although Nestlé lost the legal action, pumping continues as it gets through the appeal procedures, a legal process which could take ten years.” And BBC notes, “The company has stopped demineralising water [but] Nestle is permitted to continue pumping and extract carbon dioxide from the water.”
Tweeted by Maude Barlow:
Spent the afternoon at the famous mineral water park in Sao Loraunco Brazil which Nestle now controls. pic.twitter.com/AOI0RI0iDS
— Maude Barlow (@MaudeBarlow) June 8, 2014
Nestle has a gigantic plant that has eaten into the park and is surrounded by a huge fortress like wall. pic.twitter.com/DDVQA6bc7n
— Maude Barlow (@MaudeBarlow) June 8, 2014
Nestle plant dominates the once beautiful park where the water is being drawn down and the quality is now poor. pic.twitter.com/dnoT5xPrRp
— Maude Barlow (@MaudeBarlow) June 8, 2014
Cracks are appearing in all the foundations. pic.twitter.com/eaQULBNT0e
— Maude Barlow (@MaudeBarlow) June 8, 2014
The trees and plants are compromised. pic.twitter.com/uTSDFhPanj
— Maude Barlow (@MaudeBarlow) June 8, 2014
Once clear streams are polluted trickles. pic.twitter.com/PVt2Ir4Y9H
— Maude Barlow (@MaudeBarlow) June 8, 2014
And a smelly polluted canal runs right beside the plant and along the park. Nestle has pipes running into the canal. pic.twitter.com/0izfmMTCJn
— Maude Barlow (@MaudeBarlow) June 8, 2014
Trucks carrying away the famous mineral waters of Sao Loraunco run 24 hours a day. pic.twitter.com/VHkV2CRr9H
— Maude Barlow (@MaudeBarlow) June 8, 2014
Another polluted stream in the once pristine water park. pic.twitter.com/gokrx5AGua
— Maude Barlow (@MaudeBarlow) June 8, 2014
Nestle from the entrance. Barbed wire and armed guards make sure people cannot get in. pic.twitter.com/0CF8RsJzrI
— Maude Barlow (@MaudeBarlow) June 8, 2014
Water park was famous for its healing properties and people came from all over with requests of the park’s saint. pic.twitter.com/XDvunFaoCB
— Maude Barlow (@MaudeBarlow) June 8, 2014
Nestle is a predator that wants all the precious water sources of the region. The people will say no. pic.twitter.com/yEc2kVs2eU
— Maude Barlow (@MaudeBarlow) June 8, 2014
Some of the water warriors fighting Nestle in Brazil. pic.twitter.com/nUcA0HG5Qz
— Maude Barlow (@MaudeBarlow) June 8, 2014
Further reading
http://www.suisse.attac.org/spip.php?page=impression&id_article=1583 (in French)
http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/nestlebrazil.html (in French)
http://academic.evergreen.edu/g/grossmaz/SCHWARMJ/ (in English)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/facethefacts/transcript_20050722.shtml (in English)
http://www.swissinfo.ch/por/arquivo/A_Nestle_e_um_James_Bond_brasileiro.html?cid=890852 (in Portuguese)
http://www.woz.ch/0644/nestle/der-drachentoeter-wird-ehrenbuerger (in German)
http://www.kath.ch/index.php?PHPSESSID=2jd5rbj7dm4tj7hqiijt1p2oi1&na=12,0,256,0,d,38509 (in German)