Niagara Bottling Company

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The proposed Niagara Bottling Plant will go before the City Council again at its June 14, 2022 meeting.

Informational Meeting & Community Conversation - June 7

An Informational Meeting and Community Discussion about the proposed Niagara Bottling Plant was held in the O'Brien Rink at Hobbs Municipal Ice Arena on Tuesday, June 7, 2022 from 6-8pm.

Additional details can be found here: https://www.eauclairewi.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/39394

City of Eau Claire Water Plant Tour - June 11

Residents are invited to learn more about the City of Eau Claire Water Plant located at 2711 Riverview Drive, by taking a tour on Saturday, June 11, 2022. Guided tours will be available every twenty minutes beginning at 10 am, with the last tour leaving at 2:40pm. Tour groups are limited to 10, advanced registration is required.

**Limited day-of tour spots may be available on Saturday, June 11. Call the Water Treatment Plant before arriving to check availability: 715-839-4967.

Technical Memos - June 7, 2022

The following are technical memos referenced by Utilities Manager/Interim Community Services Director Lane Berg in his presentation during the June 7, 2022 Informational Meeting and Community Conversation held in the O'Brien Rink at Hobbs Ice Arena.

Gannett Fleming-Niagara--Aquifer Productivity and Sustainability

Gannett Fleming-Niagara--Fact Sheet

Gannett Fleming-Niagara--Meet the Gannett Fleming Team

SEH - Technical Memo - Water System Capacity Review

Sustainability Promise - Proposed Niagara Water Bottling Plant

The following are materials referenced by City Manager Stephanie Hirsch during the June 7, 2022 Informational Meeting and Community Conversation held in the O'Brien Rink at Hobbs Ice Arena.

Memorandum - Stephanie Hirsch: Proposed Niagara Water Bottling Plant & Sustainability Promise

Resiliency Coordinator Job Description

City of Racine Sustainability Manager - Job Description

Niagara FAQ - Updated 060722

About Niagara Water

Family owned and operated since 1963, Niagara Water began in Irvine, California.

Sustainability: NiagaraWater.com/sustainability/mission-partners

Packaging Efficiency: NiagaraWater.com/sustainability/packaging-efficiency/

Water Stewardship: NiagaraWater.com/sustainability/water-stewardship/

Commitment to Community: NiagaraWater.com/niagaracares/

Feed the Children
Little Kids Rock
Volunteers of America
Water.org
Water Equity
More...

Disaster Relief: NiagaraWater.com/community/disaster-relief/

Awards & Recognition

TRUE Zero Waste Certified
Best Managed Companies - U.S.
U.S. Green Building Council - LEED Gold Certified.

Fast Facts: Eau Claire's Water Supply

Water Consumption by Top Users - Historical

1982
Uniroyal: 555,000,000 gallons.
Pope & Talbot, Inc. (paper mill)): 504,000,000 gallons.
Sacred Heart Hospital: 41,000,000 gallons.
UW-Eau Claire: 104,000,000 gallons
Eau Claire Area School District (ECASD): 40,000,000 gallons.

2021

Cascades Tissue (paper mill): 133,000,000 gallons.
Sacred Heart: 24,000,000 gallons.
UW-Eau Claire: 42,000,000 gallons.
Eau Claire Area School District (ECASD): 23,000,000 gallons.
*These entities have grown but water use has decreased due to water saving measures.

The data furnished is rounded up or down to the nearest million gallons and is public record as it is published on our website as our top ten users in the Comprehensive Annual financial Report (CAFR).

Eau Claire's Current Top Water Users

Customer	Gallon Usage
Nestle USA	250,918,744
Niagara Bottling*	155,125000
Cascade Tissue	133,121,560
Hutchinson Technology	95,539,796
American Phoenix	92,069,824
Mayo Clinic Health System	43,638,320
UW-Eau Claire	41,896,228
Silver Springs Foods	26,761,196
Sacred Heart Hospital	23,735,536
Eau Claire Area School district (ECASD)	22,870,848
Kwik Trip	20,447,328
11 Largest Total	750,999,480
All Other Customers	1,989,446,520

*Phase 1 proposed usage - expected to last approximately 6-8 years. Phase 2 - full capacity would be double initial usage estimate.

Our Aquifers

Additional data will be forthcoming regarding aquifer capacity and longevity in a technical memo compiled by outside agencies. The memo is expected on Friday, June 3rd.

The City performed a water treatment evaluation in 2014, and in 2021 we did a full scale groundwater modeling study and that data is being compiled into the technical memo that will be shared in the very near future.

FAQ: Development and Use Agreement

The FAQ was updated on June 7, 2022 and can be found here

Niagara FAQ - Updated 060722

____

This FAQ was created and compiled by Economic Development Manager Aaron White and City Manager Stephanie Hirsch. May 23, 2022

FAQ on Development and Use Agreement with Purple Rain Properties (PDF)

How much will the development contribute to our tax base and tax levy capacity?
How do the jobs created compare to average compensation in Eau Claire?
What risk does the manufacturing plant pose to the community?
What was the process that resulted in Niagara’s decision to locate in Eau Claire?
Why do major development projects like this not get discussed publicly earlier in the process?
What is the reputation of Niagara?
What happens if some of the City’s wells need to be shut down?
Where will the bottled water be distributed?
How much will Niagara pay for water as compared to current customers?
Will Niagara’s usage affect the cost of water for the rest of Eau Claire?
How does the proposed water usage by Niagara compare to other customers’ usage?

*Chart comparing proposed Niagara plant, Eau Claire's 11 largest water customers, and residential users gallon usage, fees paid, and percent of total.

Q&A: Niagara Bottling Co. and Eau Claire's Water Supply

The following appeared in the Leader-Telegram on May 26, 2022 in an article titled Q&A Niagara Bottling Co. and Eau Claire's Water Supply, written by Andrew Dowd.

We thank the Leader-Telegram for their permission to share this article with the people of Eau Claire. Visit the Leader-Telegram online at LeaderTelegram.com

Leader-Telegram - Q&A Niagara Bottling Co. and Eau Claire's Water Supply (PDF)

City Council Packet Materials - May 23, 2022

The following materials appeared in the City Council Packet for the regularly scheduled, May 23, 2022 City Council Public Hearing meeting.

Packets are published the Thursday before each set of City Council meetings and are available on the City website calendar as seen on the home page of the website at EauClaireWI.gov, or directly at EauClaireWI.gov/Calendar.

Receive Council packets and other City of Eau Claire related news directly in your inbox, by signing up for eNotifications at EauClaireWI.gov/eNotifications

Niagara Bottling Co Council Packet Materials (PDF)

Agenda Item Cover Sheet
- Summary/Background
- Action/Attachments
Resolution
Development and Use Agreement
- Preliminary Site Evaluation Plan

City Council Niagara Bottling Company Presentation

The following is a copy of the PowerPoint presentation made by City Manager Stephanie Hirsch to the City Council at its regularly scheduled May 23, 2022 Public Hearing meeting.

The process a business goes through when selecting a community is very involved and very competitive. This kind of development is high stakes for both the municipality and the business, and that leads to a higher level of confidentiality than other types of large projects. During the selection process, the proposed Niagara Bottling Project was referred to as "Project Horseshoe".

Niagara Bottling Company Presentation (PDF)