A Private Corporation has the right to pump 178,000 Gallons of Chaffee County Water Every Single Day!

Right now, BlueTriton (formerly Nestlé Waters) has the right to extract up to 65 million gallons of groundwater annually from Ruby Mountain and Hagen Springs, located in Chaffee County, CO. This water is trucked to Aurora, bottled, and shipped beyond for private profit.

Key Facts About the Issue:

1. Public Access to Monitoring Data is Broken
BlueTriton's 2023 Ruby Mountain Spring monitoring report link is currently inaccessible on their website. While the company is required to submit annual reports to Chaffee County by March 1 each year, there is no requirement for easy, online public access. The result? Most residents have no easy way to stay informed about the issue.

2. Review of Self-Reported Data is Not Independent Monitoring
Current monitoring relies on BlueTriton collecting and reporting its own data, which is then reviewed by W.W. Wheeler and Associates, a company hired by Chaffee County. While this consultant review provides a check on company-submitted information, it falls far short of genuine independent oversight.

The difference matters! Reviewing data collected by the company being regulated is not the same as independent field monitoring. Without scientists conducting their own measurements of spring flows, wetland water tables, and aquifer levels, critical ecosystems remain vulnerable to undetected damage.

3. The Stakes Are Enormous
According to the USGS, "Groundwater pumping can alter how water moves between an aquifer and a stream, lake, or wetland... A related effect of groundwater pumping is the lowering of groundwater levels below the depth that streamside or wetland vegetation needs to survive. The overall effect is a loss of riparian vegetation and wildlife habitat." USGS - Groundwater Decline and Depletion

Once groundwater systems collapse and wetlands dry up, restoration can take decades or may never occur. We cannot afford to discover the damage after it's too late.

4. Chaffee County Depends on This Water; A Degraded River and Collapsed Wetlands Would:

• Threaten river rafting, fishing guides, and other recreation-based businesses
• Reduce property values near impacted waterways
• Harm ranchers and farmers who depend on reliable water supplies
• Devastate wildlife habitat that draws visitors from across the country

5. Climate Change Makes This Urgent:
Colorado is facing unprecedented drought and water scarcity. As Western water supplies shrink, exporting millions of gallons of local groundwater for bottled water production is environmentally and economically irresponsible.

BlueTriton's permit runs until 2031. Every month without rigorous, transparent, independent monitoring increases the risk of irreversible ecosystem damage. By the time the permit comes up for renewal, it may be too late to save these wetlands and springs.

Your Signature Asks Chaffee County Commissioners to Demand the following:

1. Immediate Public Access to All Monitoring Data

• All annual monitoring reports must be posted online within 30 days of submission to the county
• Reports must be published on both BlueTriton's website and a dedicated Chaffee County public portal
• Public notification system when new reports are released
• No broken links, no bureaucratic barriers, just transparent access!

2. Monthly Public Reporting Throughout the Permit Period
Real-time online dashboard showing:

• Monthly extraction volumes from each spring
• Groundwater table measurements
• Wetland water levels
• Arkansas River flow data near extraction sites
• Data updated monthly, not just annual summaries

3. Automatic Pumping Restrictions Tied to Ecosystem Health:

If monitoring shows declining water tables, stressed wetlands, or reduced stream flows, pumping must be immediately reduced or halted. No more waiting for annual reviews, protections must be automatic and precautionary!

4. Independent Third-Party Scientific Monitoring:

Mandate studies conducted by qualified hydrogeologists, ecologists, and water scientists with no financial ties to BlueTriton!

Chaffee County's water is a public trust, not a private commodity for corporate profit! Every day of delay risks permanent damage to the water systems that sustain Chaffee County. Sign this petition and Email Chaffee County Commissioners to hold BlueTriton accountable and safeguard our water future!