EVART, Mich. (WWJ/AP) - A federal agency will measure water levels in the area of Osceola County where Nestle pumps groundwater to bottle and sell under its Ice Mountain brand.
Nestle Waters North America says it asked the U.S. Geological Survey to monitor groundwater and surface water conditions in Twin Creek and Chippewa Creek near the company's White Pine Springs production well in Osceola Township.
The company received a state permit last year to boost the volume it removes from 250 to 400 gallons per minute. Public outrage has surrounded the issue, mainly because Nestle gets the groundwater for nothing more than a $200 per year permit. An environmental group and a Native American tribe are challenging the permit. A hearing before a state administrative law judge is scheduled to begin May 20.
Arlene Anderson-Vincent, a natural resources manager for Nestle, says the USGS measurements will provide third-party data, which the agency will collect and publish in real time on a federal website.
"Some have raised questions regarding the impact of our operations on the environment," she said in a statement. "We are optimistic that this additional independent data collection will provide valuable information to the public about Twin and Chippewa Creeks."
The White Pine Springs site is one of four pumping locations near Evart that Nestle uses for its Ice Mountain brand. According to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Nestle draws a total of approximately 1.1 million gallons of water per day.