Did you know that the bottled Mt Franklin spring water doesn’t come from a pristine and abundant water source in an exotic wilderness location, but rather from Perth, Australia?
In reality, Coca-Cola has been legally pumping groundwater for free out of a bore on the outskirts of Perth in WA to sell as bottled water for 32 years.
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The issue raises questions about oversight and sustainability, particularly in a region facing water scarcity and increased fire risk.
On today’s The Briefing, WA Water Minister Simone McGurk talks to Simon Beaton about what she’s doing to hold Coca-Cola to account.
With Perth enduring a record dry spell over the past six months, safeguarding water sources has become paramount.
Ms McGurk said the company reportedly takes advantage of a loophole, extracting water from an “unproclaimed groundwater area” where licence fees do not apply.
“They pay no money for this water. And I think that’s really rubbing salt in the wound for many West Australians in particular who are coming off the back of a record dry and hot summer since records have been kept for us for 150 years,” she said.
“This is the driest summer we’ve had and record temperatures as well. And we’re in the middle of May as we’re talking,” she added.
However, she said this case is not isolated, as other companies engage in similar practices.
“We can get frustrated at a company like Coca-Cola. It’s a multinational company, very profitable, selling us good quality water Uh in our supermarkets and service stations, but at a pretty price.”
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