Environmental expert Jay Exum testified last week that pulling as much water as Niagara
Bottling proposes to do in south Lake County, FL, could reduce the size of
the area's wetlands over the long term. Exum was called as an expert for Groveland during an administrative hearing into the city's
challenge of a water permit for the California-based bottler. OrlandoSentinel.com reports:
Groveland called Charles Drake, an Orlando geology expert, to testify about the possible impact of Niagara pulling water from the aquifer. Drake said Niagara's permit would diminish groundwater resources -- wetlands and lakes. But under cross examination by Niagara he agreed that the drawdown could be as minimal as 1.2 inches.
Niagara is applying for a permit from the St. Johns River Water Management District to draw as much as 484,000 gallons a day, bottle the water and then sell it. Groveland is fighting the request, saying it is not in the public interest.
Groveland called Charles Drake, an Orlando geology expert, to testify about the possible impact of Niagara pulling water from the aquifer. Drake said Niagara's permit would diminish groundwater resources -- wetlands and lakes. But under cross examination by Niagara he agreed that the drawdown could be as minimal as 1.2 inches.
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