Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs “One way we can do that is to sell the water that would [otherwise] be going on the orchard.”He said the plan was not intended to be indefinite, and would only exist until operations continued as normal, and said there were no discussions with any bottling company.“We have no agreement with anybody, apart from ourselves, at the moment. I’ve got trucks capable of carting it, all we want is somehow to get a few bucks to carry on.”In the case of the Karragullen bore, permission to extract water was first granted by the City of Armadale in 1992, with allowable water cartage expanded to a maximum of 14 truckloads carting 29,400 litres water each per week in 2003.The company continued to operate relatively under the radar until mounting community pressure in 2024.While Coca-Cola defended its operations, it voluntarily paused its operations.“With all the messaging we’re getting from the Water Corporation about ‘every drop counts’, it’s pretty on the nose.”Meg Travers, Save Perth Hills Water campaignerIn response to questions from this masthead on Tuesday, a Coca-Cola Europacific Partners spokesperson said there were no plans to recommence use of the Karragullen bore.“We take community feedback seriously and are committed to managing our water resources responsibly and sustainably,” they said.“At this time, we have no immediate plans to recommence the use of the Karragullen bore. Our decision to halt extraction was made to allow the aquifer to replenish to an appropriate level, and we continue to monitor the situation closely.”But Meg Travers, the campaigner behind the Save Perth Hills Water Facebook page, questioned the sustainability of the practise and argued more ecological impact research was necessary.“It’s wrong,” she said.“It’s as simple as that – multinational companies are literally taking water, which is arguably our most precious natural resource, the source of life – out of the ground for free and selling it back to us.“With all the messaging we’re getting from the Water Corporation about ‘every drop counts’, it’s pretty on the nose.”Travers was also concerned the lure of money from big companies like Coca-Cola – who purchased the Kurragullen property in 2020 for more than $1.4 million – would set a precedent.In a submission to the City of Kalamunda against the newest development application, Pickering Brook resident Casey Glover said taking water for irrigation and for bottling were not the same thing.“Orchard irrigation recycles water locally through plant uptake, evapotranspiration, and soil infiltration, which maintains groundwater recharge and supports surface ecosystems,” she said.Loading“Extracting groundwater for bottling removes water permanently from the local system – Once bottled and transported, it cannot contribute to groundwater recharge or nearby waterways like Piesse Brook.”Glover argued not enough was known about the long-term risks to the aquifer, and claimed an estimated two to three daily truck movements would increase noise pollution, road wear, and impact residents’ quality of life.Darling Range Liberal candidate Paul Mansfield has also started a petition calling for new legislation to make companies pay to take water for commercial purposes.Public comment on the application closed on January 18, with Kalamunda Council expected to make its decision in the coming months.Get the day’s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Sign up to receive our Evening Edition newsletter.
