February 15, 2021
On Saturday, Feb. 13, Community Water Justice, a group dedicated to combating water privatization in Maine, held a protest in Fryeburg in response to the news that Nestle S.A., the Swiss food and drink processing corporation, was in negotiations with One Rock Capital Partners LLC, a New York-based private equity firm, for the sale of a number of Nestle’s bottled water brands, including the Poland Spring brand and its nine springs in the state. While Mainers should not necessarily have to worry about a Wall Street firm pillaging their aquifers, the public anxiety surrounding this possible sale speaks to a larger, ongoing debate in the U.S. regarding the commodification of water as its availability becomes increasingly unreliable.