Have concerns about the proposed Nestle Waters factory? Here’s your chance to ask questions

Nestle Waters is eyeing Centre County for a new manufacturing facility, and now local residents will have the opportunity to voice their concerns or ask questions.

A public information session will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. March 12 at the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology, 540 N. Harrison Road, Pleasant Gap.

According to a release, Nestle Waters regional Natural Resource Manager Eric Andreus will give a short presentation about the proposed factory located in Spring or Benner townships. A panel of experts will also be available to answer questions. Community members can submit questions by filling out a card before the session, by emailing NWNA.Pennsylvania@outlook.com or calling 1-800-450-7599.

The Nestle Waters employees will answer questions about the economic benefits of the factory, jobs, sustainable water management, community relations and more.

According to a study conducted by Econsult Solutions, the $50 million water bottling facility would result in 50 full-time jobs that would earn on average about $58,000 per year and the county would benefit from $50.6 million in “annual economic impact.”

Nestle Waters is hoping to secure an agreement to annually purchase about $525,000 worth of water from the Spring Township Water Authority. The rate per 1,000 gallons is about $4.50, according to Andreus.

“Nestle Waters is committed to moving this project forward, assuming that we can get those certain agreements in place for land and water and so forth,” Andreus said. “We intend to move this project forward.”

The Sierra Club Moshannon Group and Nittany Valley Environmental Coalition will also be holding a public forum on the proposed factory from 6:30-9 p.m. March 14 at CPI.

This story was originally published March 2, 2018 at 3:17 PM with the headline "Have concerns about the proposed Nestle Waters factory? Here’s your chance to ask questions."