California is experiencing its most severe drought in recorded history. Lakes and rivers are drying up, cities are instituting water rationing, and no relief is in sight.

California citizens are facing mandatory water restrictions, but Nestle Waters’ bottling plants are operating at full volume. In fact, Nestle’s response to public outcry for water conservation has been anything but concerned. Recently, a reporter asked Nestle’s North American CEO Tim Brown if he’d move Nestle’s operations out of California during the drought. His response? “Absolutely not. In fact, if I could increase it, I would.”

Nestle has refused to reveal how much water it takes from National Parks in California, but when residents are facing mandatory water cutbacks, it's only fair for Nestle to do its part. It’s time Nestle revealed how much water it’s taking so that the public can hold the company accountable.

Nestle is taking advantage of outdated laws to exploit a public resource. Recently a reporter uncovered that Nestle is pumping water from the National Forest of San Bernardino using a permit that expired over 25 years ago! Nestle hasn’t revealed publicly how much water it takes from the National Forest, but they pay only $524 each year to profit off of this public land. There is even less transparency around the six other National Forest sites where Nestle operates. We need to let Nestle know that this is unacceptable - the public deserves to know what happens to our water!

Nestle is giving the people - and ecosystems - of California short shrift. The company is pumping water from locations in the heart of the state's disaster-level drought, and then selling Californians back their own tap water for up to 2,000 times its cost! Worse, processing water this way wastes water and contributes to plastic pollution -- it takes 1.39 liters of water to fill a one-liter bottle, and it takes twice that to make the plastic bottle itself!

The Story of Stuff Project filed a Freedom of Information Act request for more information about Nestle's actions in our National Forests, but one thing is clear: $524 is too small of a fee for taking one of California's most precious resources during a severe drought. Your input can let Nestle know we’re serious about demanding public accountability.

Nestle’s operations in California have worldwide ramifications. While Nestle makes millions of dollars exporting water from a federal drought disaster areas, our waterways fill with plastic, and our ecosystems pay the price. If we’re going to live sustainably on this planet, we all need to pitch in and do our part. Let's hold Nestlé accountable for taking California’s public water today!