Arrowhead brand bottled water might be nearing its end.
Bottled Water Giant Faces Watershed Moment
The U.S. Forest Service has just dealt a huge blow to BlueTriton Brands – the company behind Arrowhead bottled water. They’ve ordered the company to shut down its entire pipeline operation in the San Bernardino Mountains right away.
Mountain Springs or Corporate Springs?
This could be the end of a decades-long fight over whether a private company should be allowed to take water from public lands. The announcement has shocked many, and the company is now scrambling to challenge the ruling in court.
The Tap Runs Dry for BlueTriton
So, what’s the drama? Well, it turns out the Forest Service has ordered BlueTriton to stop collecting and transporting water from the springs in these mountains. The situation has been simmering for a long time, and it finally boiled over last month when the Forest Service sent BlueTriton a letter saying enough is enough.
A Century of Sips Comes to an End
The company, which has been using water from the springs in the mountains north of San Bernardino for nearly a century, was told it must stop everything immediately and remove its equipment from federal land.
Green Victory
Environmentalists who have been fighting this battle for years are celebrating. Activists have long claimed that BlueTriton’s work in the area has drastically reduced the creek’s flow and caused serious harm to the environment – so to them this is a huge win. They’re hopeful the creek will finally return to its natural flow.
BlueTriton’s Legal Thirst
But BlueTriton isn’t taking this lying down – they’ve already taken the matter to court, arguing that the permit denial is a total overreach.
Eco-Friendly or Eco-Foe?
They insist that their water extraction doesn’t hurt the environment and argue that the Forest Service’s decision is both legally flawed and damaging to the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, who rely on the water for firefighting.
Tribal Waters
The tribe, which owns the Arrowhead Springs property where some of the water is diverted, has stayed quiet. They’ve directed all questions back to BlueTriton.
Brand at Risk
If this decision sticks, BlueTriton could lose access to the very springs that give Arrowhead bottled water its name. These springs have been tapped for commercial use since 1929 but could soon be off-limits.
Pipeline Problems
The company’s pipeline system, which runs for 4.5 miles, has been a crucial source of water for bottling and other uses.
Permit Pandemonium
This whole controversy really blew up back in 2015 when a report revealed that the Forest Service had let the company – then owned by Nestlé – keep taking water from the forest using a permit that had expired in 1988.
Drops of Controversy in a Desert State
This scandal set off a wave of outrage, leading to a review and a new permit in 2018. But the outrage didn’t die down – especially in a state like California, where water is such a precious resource.
New Owner, Same Problems
BlueTriton took over from Nestlé in 2021, but that didn’t put an end to the legal and environmental issues. In fact, things got even worse when California regulators found that BlueTriton was diverting water without valid rights.
State vs. Corporation
The State Water Resources Control Board even ordered the company to stop these “unauthorized diversions,” a move that BlueTriton is currently challenging in court.
Red Flags and Redirections
According to insiders, BlueTriton was repeatedly asked to provide information making sure it was following the rules, but the company’s responses were red flag central. Most of the water being diverted wasn’t going to bottling – instead it was being sent to the old Arrowhead Springs hotel property for who knows what.
Countdown to Closure
Now BlueTriton has just seven days to sever or block their pipeline at several sites and must submit a removal plan within three months.
No Appeals
The Forest Service has made it clear: this decision is final, and they’re not interested in any appeals.
Corporate Defiance
BlueTriton, however, isn’t backing down. The company is arguing in court that the Forest Service’s decision is “arbitrary and capricious,” and claims their scientific studies show no negative impact on the environment.
Water Wars
This fight clearly isn’t over yet. With BlueTriton and the Forest Service locked in a standoff, the future of Arrowhead hangs in the balance.
Activists Celebrate… For Now
But for now, those who have been fighting to protect California’s water resources are celebrating.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / The Image Party.
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