Coca-Cola's Continued Bore Water Extraction in WA Draws Widespread Criticism
Two years after a government minister declared the arrangement "didn't pass the pub test," Coca-Cola continues to transport truckloads of Western Australia's groundwater from the Gingin region to its Kewdale bottling facility. The beverage giant's ongoing extraction of this valuable resource at minimal cost has reignited community anger and raised serious questions about water management in a drying climate.
From Karragullen to Gingin: A Shifting Water Source
Following a media expose in May 2024, Coca-Cola voluntarily ceased using a bore on its Karragullen property in the Perth Hills for its Mount Franklin brand. This decision came after then Water Minister Simone McGurk's strong criticism of the practice. However, The West Australian has now revealed that substantial volumes of bore water continue to be extracted from Perth's outer suburbs and transported to Coca-Cola's Kewdale treatment plant.
Recent observations documented multiple Black Mount Spring Water trucks entering the Coca-Cola facility within a two-hour period. Black Mount, a Victoria-based company, sources water from undisclosed bore locations in both the Perth Hills and Gingin area according to its website. Asahi also utilizes Gingin's bore water for its Frantelle and Cool Ridge brands, indicating broader industry reliance on this resource.
Community Concerns and Environmental Impacts
Local residents north of Perth have expressed growing frustration with the constant truck movements transporting water from their region. A Shire of Gingin spokesperson outlined dual concerns affecting the community:
- Significant amenity impacts from numerous truck movements operating at various times
- Environmental worries about groundwater extraction effects on water levels during a drying climate
The spokesperson emphasized that these issues have created ongoing tension between corporate water users and local communities who bear the consequences of extraction activities.
Transparency Questions and Regulatory Gaps
A Coca-Cola spokeswoman confirmed the Karragullen bore remains inactive but acknowledged the company now sources water through contract suppliers. However, she declined to disclose specific supplier identities, water source locations, or extraction volumes. Despite claiming to support industry transparency efforts through the Australasian Bottled Water Institute, the spokeswoman refused to confirm whether Coca-Cola continues using bore water.
Current regulations reveal significant oversight limitations. Approximately 276 million litres of monitored bore water are extracted annually in the greater Perth region for bottled water use, with about 84 percent originating from the Shire of Gingin. Bore water usage carries minimal costs:
- No payment required for water extraction itself
- Maximum annual fee of $8,930 per bore extraction licence on proclaimed land
- No licence requirements for unproclaimed land areas
The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation admitted having "no legislative provisions to regulate and constrain groundwater use" in unproclaimed areas, creating substantial regulatory gaps.
Political Responses and Calls for Reform
Water Minister Don Punch acknowledged new reporting measures for bore water usage but confessed uncertainty about how much WA water reaches individual companies like Coca-Cola. He pointed to collaborative efforts with the Australian Beverages Council to install water meters and implement annual data reporting.
Shadow water minister Peter Rundle delivered a scathing assessment, calling the situation a "clear failure" by the government. "What we're seeing is a clear failure by the Cook Government to properly monitor and manage groundwater extraction across Western Australia," Rundle stated. He criticized the government's nine-year tenure without establishing effective water management systems, emphasizing the need for sensible regulation and proper monitoring of water supplies.
The ongoing controversy highlights the tension between corporate water access, community interests, and environmental sustainability in Western Australia's changing climate. With minimal regulatory oversight in many areas and continued extraction by major beverage companies, the debate over WA's groundwater resources shows no signs of diminishing.
