Nestle has been bottling spring water outside of Grand Rapids for almost 20 years.
Today, the company pumps nearly 360,000 gallons a day from this one well in the town of Evart, and now the state of Michigan approved a new permit that would allow them to nearly double it.
"They are taking the water that should not be owned by anybody. Water is essential to life. Nobody can own it," said Peggy Case with Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation.
The permit cost $200 a year.
"Nestle Waters has investment in its operations here to preserve the ecosystems, to operate sustainably, our business depends on it," said Arlene Anderson-Vincent with Nestle.
Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality approved the permit request.
"It's unprecedented the level of analysis that went into this permit," said Eric J. Oswald, division director of the MDEQ.
This house has been in Mariane Bordan's family since she was a child.
She says she sees the water levels dropping.
"I used to be able to stand up here and hear that creek run, and I don't hear that anymore," said Bordan.
Nestle has not increased pumping yet.
Mariane doesn't trust the science coming from either the state or the company.
"The science said there's no damage. The science says this and that, but here is my science," she said.
Some residents of Evart say support for their fight against nestle comes across the state.
