cystalgeyserCrystal Geyser promotes its bottled water as “the only major U.S. spring water bottled exclusively at the source.” The company shows eight sources, and the one in Olancha has plans for expansion.

The public can now comment on a Draft Environmental Impact Report on Crystal Geyser’s expansion plan for a 198,500 square foot bottling plant with four bottling lines and a 40,000 square foot warehouse. The site would take in about 35 acres of the Cabin Bar Ranch near Cartago. The comment period ends October 1.

According to the Inyo County Planning Department, Crystal Geyser would extract water from three existing on-site wells in the shallow aquifer up to 360 acre feet per year. It is unknown how many jobs the expansion might include or the tax contribution to Inyo County.

Planners say that the company will have to go through a General Plan Amendment for land use designation changes, a Zone Reclassification and a Conditional Use Permit. Construction would take place in three phases over a number of years with build-out anticipated in 2025-2027.

The public can check out the environmental documents at all Inyo libraries, the Inyo Planning Department office or on the website, www.inyoplanning.org.

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