We all know the hazards bottled water pose for the environment. However, these hazards relate to the plastic used for the most popular packaged beverage in the United States. However, Crystal Geyser Natural Alpine Spring Water added new concerns when they pled guilty to two felonies related to improper handling of hazardous waste. As a result, they will pay a $5 million criminal fine. (1, 2)
Crystal Geyser Olancho Plant
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, the felonies included one count of unlawful storage of hazardous waste and one for unlawful transportation of hazardous material. The charges are related to activities at its Olancho, California plant. (1)
For the past 15 years, the CG Roxane facility located near Highway 395 in Olancho dumped arsenic-contaminated wastewater into a man-made pond known as the “Arsenic Pond.” The United States Environmental Protection Agency headed up the investigation in hand with the Criminal Investigations Division and the United States Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General. The California Department of Toxic Substances Control and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California assisted. (1)
Crystal Geyser Arsenic Wastewater
Since 2013, suspicions swarmed around the company’s handling of hazardous waste. Back in March 2013, the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board took a water sample that tested positive for arsenic levels eight times higher than the safe limit. Authorities finally ordered the removal of the pond in 2015. (1)
Contaminated ponds such as this affect the surrounding ecosystem as water seeps into local groundwater. Arsenic poisons local wildlife and, when ingested, poses a risk of cancer. (1)
Crystal Geyser Improper Disposal
Despite the order to remove the pond, removal did not follow proper procedures. The company failed to identify the water as hazardous material at the time of transportation. The water arrived at a Southern California facility unprepared to treat the contaminated wastewater. As a result, United Pumping Services, Inc. and United Storm Water, Inc., the companies hired by CG Roxane to transport and treat the wastewater, face maximum fines of $8 million each. (1)
23,000 Gallons Of Crystal Geyser Wastewater
A press release stated, “more than 23,000 gallons of wastewater from the Arsenic Pond was discharged into a sewer without appropriate treatment.” The company issued a statement to assure the public their bottled water was not at risk for contamination. The felonies are strictly in relation to how the company handled and transported the contaminated wastewater. (1)
Crystal Geyser Naturally Sourced
Crystal Geyser Natural Alpine Spring Water sources water from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Arsenic naturally occurs in surrounding groundwater which Crystal Geyser filters out prior to bottling using sand and a sodium hydroxide solution. This produces thousands of gallons of arsenic-contaminated wastewater. (1)
Washington State Ban
Further fallout from the case led to the state of Washington restricting new permits allowing the extraction, bottling, and selling of local water supplies. In a statement, Mary Grant, the director of Food & Water Action’s public water for all campaign said, “Washington State is carving the path towards a groundbreaking solution. This legislation … would ban one of the worst corporate water abuses – the extraction of local water supplies in plastic bottles shipped out of watersheds and around the country.” (2)
More states are considering limiting or taxing commercial water bottling operations, including Maine, Michigan, Oregon, and Montana. (2)
