EVART, Mich. – A federal agency will monitor water levels near areas where Nestle pumps out Michigan water. This information comes as the company has been considering pumping out more water to sell.
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Michigan environmentalists are considering this decision a win. There are some who believe Nestle is taking out too much water and it could damage the environment in northern Michigan. Now, a third party will take a look at the data and will be making that information available to the public.
Nestle has been in an ongoing battle with some politicians and envirmonemtalists who worry the company may be causing damage to our environment by pumping out millions of gallons of water every day from a pumping station in northern Michigan.
The company received a state permit last year to boost the volume it removes from 250 to 400 gallons per minute.
After it was reported the U.S. Geological Survey would monitor water levels, Rep. Dan Kildee released the following statement:
“I am pleased to see Nestlé work with the U.S. Geological Survey to study the effects of its water withdrawals. I have been very concerned with the impact of Nestlé’s operations on our environment and have previously asked for independent monitoring to ensure that water withdrawals do not deplete our state’s water resources. The scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey are highly respected and I have confidence in their independent monitoring efforts. We must protect Michigan’s natural resources, especially our water resources that support our state’s economy, jobs and way of life.”
Additionally, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told Local 4 she's keeping an eye on the Nestle issue.
Arlene Anderson-Vincent, the North American natural resource manager at Nestle released the following statement:
"Some have raised questions regarding the impact of our operations on the environment. While we are confident in the sustainability of our operations, we have asked a respected, third-party scientific agency to conduct their own monitoring. We are optimistic that this additional independent data collection will provide valuable information to the public."
Data collected will be available to the public at the USGS' official website here.