As the worst drought in history devastates Australia, our small town community is fighting big business bottled water giants for our own water supply. I’m a local resident of Mt Tamborine, and I’m furious that the bottled water industry is stripping us of our local supply while we are struggling with the drought. 

That’s why I’m calling on the government to apply State Water Act 2000 to limit or prohibit commercial water extraction during water shortages. Big business shouldn’t be able to steal our water and sell it back in plastic bottles!

We are dependent on rain and bores as our only source of water. Our bores and tanks are running dry, yet the commercial water tankers are emptying our precious reserves of groundwater to sell in stores in plastic bottles. Unfortunately, it is not just us - at least 10 other communities across Queensland, NSW, Victoria and WA are battling unsustainable water mining.

The entire commercial water bottle industry is driven by big business like Coca-Cola, who produce Mount Franklin bottled water. It’s an unnecessary, greedy industry. They drain nearly-exhausted water reserves in drought-stricken areas only to put them in small plastic bottles and sell them for 2000 times of tap water. Bottled “mountain spring water” is actually bore water that has been purified, and is no different to tap water.

We need to keep our water in underground aquifers to support the rainforests and our ecosystems, not in small plastic bottles on supermarket shelves. These single-use bottles are increasing plastic pollution and adding to the environmental waste hazard. 

Our creeks and waterfalls are running dry. Dead platypus have been found along the banks of the dry Cedar creek. We are going to face potentially drier and hotter climate in the future. We shouldn’t be allowing this water mining in such desperate times. 

Please join me in calling Queensland government to lead the way in prohibiting commercial water extraction during water shortages, so other states can follow suit. 

Our beautiful little community is up against the big boys of bottled water. Can you help us by signing and sharing my petition?