FLOW, For Love of Water, is a great doc that needs to be seen. It's astounding that Nestle can keep draining aquifers while they appeal their loss in the Michigan Supreme Court. I've not been near a plastic bottle of water since seeing this movie. Even if it is "one-sided", even a fraction of the facts will freak you out. Drink up!

I've not seen Flow, but I know all about what Nestlé means by 'balanced' having seen the untrue comments it makes about its baby food marketing.

On water I investigated Nestlé's water bottling activities in São Lourenço, Brazil. Nestlé commissioned an 'independent' report from Bureau Veritas which said that Nestlé had complied with all legislation. I spoke with the auditors, who had also visited São Lourenço. They seemed unaware of the fact that the Public Prosecutor had taken Nestlé to court after receiving a petition from thousands of citizens of the town that relied on tourism to the water parks, the springs in which were deteriorating due to the volumes of water Nestlé was pumping.

Bureau Veritas responded to me: ""our work did not constitute a legal audit as such, nor did it include a review of the on-going civil action".

Eventually the case was settled out of court, with Nestlé agreeing to stop pumping and compensate the town by reforming the park or pay daily fines.

So victory to the people of the town in the end. Sadly it took ten years.

See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/press/press2march06.html

Finally! Nestle is being called out for its abusive practices. Nestle has been nominated in Corporate Accountability Internationals 2009 Corporate Hall of Shame for numerous labor violations including child exploitation, contributing to the obesity epidemic, and threatening community water supplies for its bottled water brands. Visit http://www.stopcorporateabusenow.org/campaign/hall_of_shame_2008?source=hos08tp to check out the other nominees and case your vote!

I live in one of the many semi-rural, cash-strapped towns that dot the U.S.. Not a lot of jobs but some of the best drinking water you could hope for. Nestle came into town wanting with a pitch to drain our Aquafers for money. It was one of those rare occasions I was happy that we have so many old hippies involved in local politics. Needless to say, Nestle was sent packing.

I witnessed Nestle destruction of Sao Lourenco aquifer. they pumped 1 million liters of water a day for years to make pure life out of mineral water. Even though it was against brazilian constitution to demineralize water they went all the way for years. They also destroyed the the oldest fountain in town to build on top a huge wall. the trees around the park died because the aquifer went down 9 meters. Please check at our site the pictures of sao Lourenco and its destruction!

. www.circuitodasaguas.org