USA: US environmentalists and residents washed away by Perrier plan

After being refused permission to tap into the Mecan Springs, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has granted initial approval to bottled water giant Perrier to construct test wells around Big Spring, near Wisconsin Dells.Perrier will have to assess the impact on groundwater, surface water and wetlands from the test wells, and will have to determine if the natural springs will support the 500 gallons per minute, Perrier is hoping to draw from the springs.Despite fierce opposition, there are more than 9,000 similar wells in the state, and at a time when bottled water companies have seen continuing sales growth worldwide, Perrier could not be refused.But, with plans to build a bottling plant nearby, and after months of looking for a Midwestern spring source, Perrier could soon be in a position to expand further into manufactured water as well as natural spring water.So, environmentalists and residents opposing Perrier's plans, may soon see themselves stuck with a catch-22 scenario, with the bottled water giant winning whatever.