The Global Water Grab: How the Bottled Water Industry is Reshaping Access to Earth's Most Vital Resource

In Spain's Lecrín valley, residents watch as trucks leave water bottling plants day and night, carrying away their local spring water while their own wells run dry. In Florida's Santa Fe River basin, water levels have dropped so significantly that officials have labeled the area "in recovery," even as bottling operations continue to increase extraction. Meanwhile, in California's San Bernardino Mountains, BlueTriton Brands faces legal battles over water rights while downstream communities struggle with water shortages.

These situations exemplify the growing tension at the heart of the $312 billion bottled water industry. What began as a convenience product has evolved into a complex battle over water rights, environmental sustainability, and resource management. Major corporations and private equity firms now control vast networks of springs and aquifers, extracting 408 billion liters annually, with projections showing an increase to 425 billion liters in 2024. This massive scale of extraction occurs against a backdrop of intensifying climate change, where droughts and water scarcity increasingly threaten communities worldwide.

Photo by Jonathan Chng on Unsplash

Industry Structure and Market Dynamics