I started to think, “What are these guys doing? They are sending me water, which I can go get out of a tap and boil and drink. But look at the amount of money they spent on packaging, bottling, etc.” Since then I have refused to drink bottled water if safe water is available.

That started me thinking about the commercialization of water. The results of commercialization of water started to hit me very hard: there is not going to be enough water with global warming.

Ownership of Water: the Consequences

The great migration to the cities has come not just because of job opportunities in the cities, but every time there is a drought, people have moved to the city because somehow the city has always had water. Somehow the water has always come from the rural areas and been drawn away into the cities. If you are really thirsty, somebody will give you water in a city, because it is available.

About two years ago there was this case in Kerala where the paddy famers were finding that their crops were drying up because the water table had gone down. Rice needs a very high water table. They realized it was going down because nearby there was a Coca Cola factory that was drawing water from the ground and putting it into bottles and selling the bottled water to cities.

So you don’t have to own a river to commercialize water. All you have to do is draw it and package it and sell it to those that can afford it.

Setting an Example

I think we are not really cognizant about it yet. You know, there are a few demonstrations here and there. But, for example, why can’t people stop in New York City stop drinking bottled water since the water in New York is safe? I can’t understand it. Right now in New York, everywhere I go, people are selling bottled water and the cost of bottled water is immense. Why are they doing it when you’ve got enough water here?

Yesterday I went out for dinner in New York and said, “I am not going to drink bottled water because of this.” I said, “Tap water is fine,” and four people then just decided, “Oh, we’ll just order tap water” because they were either embarrassed by me, or they realized I was right.