Today's Battle Creek Enquirer says:
"The compromise agreement also settles one of the thornier issues raised since a controversy erupted several years ago over a water-bottling plant in Mecosta County: Is bottled water a manufactured product or a diversion of water? Under the new laws, containers smaller than 5.7 gallons are considered products. We think this is reasonable since, as water-bottling companies pointed out, companies that make soda pop or over beverages also use large amounts of water but are not considered to be diverting water from the state if their products are sold elsewhere."
Wrong -- in terms of what the new law will say, and in terms of the bogus comparison to soda pop. Water is water. Soda pop is not water. Is there anyone who can understand the difference?
If they were the same thing, then we could just say our lakes are full of soda pop.
Soda pop is a product. Wine is a product. Cars are products.
The sky is not a product. The Grand Canyon is not a product. Water is not a product.
In terms of the new law, for better or worse, here's what it says about bottled water:
"(h) "Diverted" means a transfer of water by pipeline, canal, tunnel, aqueduct, channel, modification of the direction of a watercourse, tanker ship, tanker truck, rail tanker, or similar means from the Great Lakes basin into a watershed outside of the Great Lakes basin. Diverted includes a transfer of water withdrawn from the waters of the Great Lakes basin that is removed from the Great Lakes basin in a container greater than 5.7 gallons (20 liters). Diverted does not include any of the following:
(i) A consumptive use.
(ii) The supply of vehicles, including vessels and aircraft, whether for the needs of the persons or animals being transported or for ballast or other needs related to the operation of vehicles.
(iii) Use in a noncommercial project on a short-term basis for firefighting, humanitarian, or emergency response purposes."
IT DOES NOT say water is a product.
Posted by Dave at February 14, 2006 08:10 PM