Dozier Water Bottling Plan Moves Ahead

WALLA WALLA – On Monday, the Walla Walla County Commissioners voted unanimously to move forward an application by Waitsburg-area farmers Perry and Darlene Dozier to amend the county zoning code to allow use of their owned water rights for water bottling.

The application will be included in the final list of proposed changes to the county’s development regulations, to be up for approval later this year.

Last month, the Walla Walla County Planning Commission voted 3-2 to recommend denial of the Doziers’ requested zoning change. Two of the commission’s seven members were not in attendance for the vote.

On Monday, Commissioner Todd Kimball pointed out in a statement that there is a big difference between the proposal last year by Nestle Company to build a water bottling facility in Waitsburg, and the Doziers’ request.

“As similar as [the Nestle proposal] appears to this application, they are not at all the same,” Kimball said. “Nestle was trying to buy/lease Waitsburg Municipal Water Rights which, in a way, belong to all residents of Waitsburg. Privately owned water rights are at issue here.”

Kimball added that the use of private water rights for purposes other than irrigation is not a new thing. In his statement he said, “I have spoken with [the Dept. of] Ecology regarding the conversion of water rights from irrigation use to industrial use to find out if this has been done in the past. The answer that I got was that Ecology makes that conversion all the time for Walla Walla Wineries, and other businesses.  Water from Walla Walla is already being bottled and shipped outside of the valley…” in the form of wine.

Kimball also pointed out that Walla Walla County already allows water bottling in industrial zones. The Doziers’ application applies to agricultural zones.

Regarding the current application, he said, “…denying this application would not stop or prevent anyone from bottling water. Our job here is not to decide whether or not bottling water is socially acceptable.”