Crystal Geyser, a bottled water producer, pleaded guilty Thursday in Los Angeles to federal charges of illegally storing and transporting hazardous waste containing arsenic.
In 2018, CG Roxane, Crystal Geyser’s parent company, along with two contracted companies, were charged with violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and Hazardous Materials Transportation Act. They allegedly failed to disclose information regarding arsenic in wastewater transported from the Olancha, CA bottling plant, which is about 200 miles north of Los Angeles.
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Court records indicate that Crystal Geyser created an “arsenic pond” in a remote part of eastern California between Death Valley and the Sequoia National Forest. Then, they failed to disclose that water pumped out of the pond and delivered to water treatment plants contained the toxic heavy metal.
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Also charged in the 16-count indictment for violations (that allegedly happened in March and May 2015) were United Pumping Services, a City of Industry waste-hauling corporation, and United Storm Water, an Industry-based company providing environmental and lake draining services. The contracted companies will face trial in April in Los Angeles federal court.
Prosecutors said the case focuses on the bottling plant’s wastewater, not the safety or quality of Crystal Geyser’s water.
U.S. District Senior Judge S. James Otero set a February 24 sentencing hearing, at which time the company is expected to be ordered to pay a $5 million fine.
A message sent to a Crystal Geyser representative was not immediately answered.
