All Views on Water Bottling Should be Presented

Dear Editor,

The Waitsburg Times account of publisher Ken Graham’s interview with County Commissioner Todd Kimball was accurate as far as it went. It gave more than adequate coverage to the Commissioners’ perspectives on the Dozier’s request to start a water bottling business on their land. What was missing was any acknowledgment whatsoever of the well-reasoned legal, zoning and resource-savvy positions that oppose this misuse of the county’s valuable and limited water supply. The Times repeated the claim that since wineries and distilleries are allowed in ag zones, therefore water bottling should be also. This is apples and oranges. Wineries use their water rights to grow grapes, and often pay dearly to do so. Distilleries, what few there are, use purchased water, not agricultural water rights. When Mr. Dozier plants and cultivates a water-producing crop, he’s welcome to bottle it. As for the idea that only a small number of people have spoken out compared to the population of the entire county, does anyone really expect that hundreds of concerned citizens would crowd the hallways of the meeting room in the hopes of having a chance to speak? How many people speak out on any issue? What’s more relevant, it seems to me, is the utter lack of voices in support of this proposal, outside of the County Commissioners themselves. To many who oppose this zoning change, it seems as if the Commissioners have abused the whole process of public input. No matter what anyone says—the County Planning Commission, the Walla Walla City Council, several Union-Bulletin editorials and dozens of citizens concerned enough to write thoughtful letters in opposition—Kimball and his cohorts keep kicking the ball down the road saying they need more time to study. What they are really saying is we’ll happily ignore any and all opposing viewpoints. It’s easy to dismiss everyone else’s input as “a lot of people [who] have a problem with the idea of bottled water.” It’s a lot harder to actually do the research required to present a fair and balanced overview of all positions on a challenging issue. I look forward to your presentation of the other side in a future issue of The Times.

Paul Gregutt

Waitsburg