Image
Photo: Marcelo Schneider/WCC

Photo: Marcelo Schneider/WCC

Residents of Divonne, France approached the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Water Network to help them stop a proposed plant for bottled water in Divonne, which is situated on the border with French-speaking Switzerland, between the foot of the Jura mountains and Lake Geneva.

The Andrénius company, in partnership with Divonne's administration, is planning the production of 400 million plastic bottles of water per year, resulting in an estimated freight transport of 200 truck journeys per day.

In the context of a world that is already producing more than 1 million plastic bottles every minute, Divonne residents wanted to act in defense of the earth. More than 70% of plastic bottles are dumped into landfills or in the ocean, taking hundreds of years to decompose.

In addition, bottled water is up to 2,000 times more expensive than tap water. As a “Blue Community,” the WCC Ecumenical Water Network views bottled water as an impediment to the human right to water as it promotes inequalities within society.

Residents of Divonne and people from neighbouring cities and countries are signing a petition at Avaaz.org to stop this project. The WCC Ecumenical Water Network is encouraging people of good will to sign the petition as well.

Learn more about the petition

Show your support and sign the petition

Learn more about WCC's Ecumenical Water Network