Eau Claire to host public meeting Tuesday on water bottling plant proposal

The Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, Wis.
·2 min read

Jun. 3—EAU CLAIRE — Informational presentations and a time to ask questions about a water bottling company's proposal to build a plant in Eau Claire will be part of a community meeting on Tuesday evening.

The city has scheduled the public gathering to discuss Niagara Bottling Co.'s proposal at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the O'Brien Rink in Hobbs Ice Center, 915 Menomonie St.

Information about Niagara's proposed operation, job creation, its economic impact and the city water supply's ability to handle demand created by the factory will be shared during the meeting, according to a city notice.

Perspectives on the plant's environmental impact will also be discussed and groups with opinions on that have been invited to attend.

Community groups including JONAH, the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce and the city's Sustainability Advisory Committee all received invites for the meeting. City Council members are also expected to attend, according to a notice for meeting.

Tuesday night's meeting will also feature the opportunity for the public to ask questions about the proposed plant.

California-based Niagara Bottling Co. has proposed building a $65 million water bottling plant in Eau Claire's Gateway Northwest Business Park. With other costs such as equipment to run the highly-automated plant, the company has said its total investment is expected to exceed $100 million.

It is expected to employ 58 full-time workers at opening and pay about $1 million annually in property taxes.

The plant would use 155.1 million gallons of city water annually when first completed, making it Eau Claire's No. 2 user behind Nestle USA. The water bottler's plans include a future expansion to the plant that would double its water usage, which would make it the city's No. 1 water consumer.

The City Council was to vote May 24 on a deal to bring the company here, but opted to postpone a decision until June 14 due to concerns raised by residents about the plant's potential impact on the environment and the municipal water supply.