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Dear Oversight Committee member,

On Wednesday, Swiss food and beverage giant Nestlé announced the sale of a significant portion of its massive U.S. and Canadian bottled water business to two private equity firms, One Rock Capital Partners and Metropoulos & Co.

As you may know, Nestlé Waters has a sordid history of conflict with the local communities from which it draws its water, with lawsuits, investigations and permit challenges presently active in a number of states, including California, Michigan, Maine, Florida, and Colorado.

I am writing to request your urgent attention to this sale because it is imperative that this transfer of our most precious resource -- our water -- move forward only with significant public and stakeholder oversight and input.

In particular, we would ask to you to use your authority to raise three significant questions about the sale:

First, whether it is in the best interest of communities and the environment that these private equity partners control Nestlé’s existing portfolio of water companies, including major water sources in dozens of states.

Second, whether these private equity firms will agree to maintain or exceed the level of community benefits and environmental sustainability to which Nestlé has committed itself and these regional brands.

And third, and most importantly, whether this sale underscores the ongoing, urgent need for action to protect our water resources and the environment more broadly through the establishment of a moratorium on new permits to extract and bottle water and reinvestment in our crumbling public water infrastructure.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Demand oversight of Nestlé's water selloff

Nestlé Waters’ $4 billion sale of its bottled water portfolio – including brands like Poland Springs, Arrowhead, Zephyrhills, Pure Life and Ice Mountain – to two private equity firms spells trouble for communities and ecosystems already feeling the strain of that company’s water extractions and plastic waste. And if you thought Nestlé was a bad actor, wait until these private equity profiteers get hold of all that water!

As usual, Nestlé’s deal with One Rock Capital Partners and Metropoulos & Co. has been confined to the business pages and kept out of public view – despite representing one of the largest transfers of water wealth in recent memory.

That's why we're asking the members of the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee to drag this water grab into the light of day.

Our ask is simple: Nestlé cannot be allowed to walk away from the consequences it has imposed on communities and the environment around the country and the world. And these two private equity firms can’t be allowed to buy up our country’s water without a fight.

Will you join us in writing to the House Oversight Committee today?

Our water is not for sale

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Demand oversight of Nestlé's water selloff

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