Once a major corporation sets it’s sights on your town’s water, it is too late. Big corporations have much larger legal departments than towns, cities or even most states. So if you want to protect your town’s water from large scale extraction and bottling, the time to do it is now.
The process varies by state and town. In Maine, towns can pass ordinances at their annual town meetings. In other states, city councils can adopt protective ordinances. Check with your city clerk on how to go about having a new ordinance adopted in your town.
Once you know the process, the next step is to put forward a sample ordinance. Here is a sample water extraction ordinance.
Knowing the process and having a sample ordinance gets you started. With these things in hand, it is important to find allies to support your effort. Look for a local Green Party chapter and environmental organizations like Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, the Nature Conservancy and the Sierra Club. These groups may choose to help and usually have good advice on local politics.
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