Elyon bottler supports mining, but wants to stay in business
By JOHN PLESTINA Ely Times Reporter
With a large crowd anticipated at the Bristlecone Convention Center Friday for a public hearing on water rights sought by the Robinson Nevada Mine, the owner of Murry Springs Bottling, Inc., said he is hoping the issue could be resolved so that the mine could continue to operate and he could continue to bottle Elyon Water.
Murry Springs Bottling owner Keith Carson and his son Kurt Carson with holding tanks that contain water taken from Murry Spring.
Kurt Carson demonstrated testing equipment in the Elyon lab at the bottling plant.
The city of Ely will hold the hearing before a joint meeting of the City Council and Utilities Board at 4 p.m.
The issue is plain. The mine says it needs the 19,300 acre feet of temporary water rights annually to remain operational until 2016 while Murry Springs Bottling operator Keith Carson has said he fears the mine would take too much water which he said could threaten his business. He also is concerned about the future quality of water from Murry Springs.
Several mine officials have said that denial of the water rights applications could force the mine to close in 2010 rather than 2016, which is the projected life of the current mining operation at the Ruth mine.
Elyon's largest customer is the Robinson Nevada Mine.
Carson, a White Pine High School graduate and a resident of Ely for nearly 40 years, said he supports mining in White Pine County.
“Probably half the income in my life has been with mines,” he said.
One of his companies, Carson Unlimited, began as a contractor doing jobs for Kennecott Corporation in 1970.
“I don't want to get into finger-pointing,” he said. “We've been in a depression when these mines leave,” Carson said. He added that he doesn't want to see anyone unemployed.
The bottler operates with a 25-year renewable lease with the city of Ely. Carson must pay the city $1,200 annually for the land lease and he is metered and charged the same water rate all commercial users pay. He uses an average of 6,000 to 7,000 gallons monthly.
The water agreement is between the city and Carson, not his company.
“They wanted me to be personally responsible,” he said.
Murry Springs Bottling employees a few part-time employees.
“I don't want to give it up,” Carson said.
He again disputed a comment by the mine's hydrologist, Sherry Gaddy, that Murry Spring water is dead water.
Carson maintains that it has minerals. He said he has a 20-page report on the water chemistry.
Elyon cut back about a year ago by suspending its small bottle operation and went to five-gallon plastic containers, the type found on office coolers.
“Last year, we decided we can't compete in the small bottle market anymore,” Carson said.
That decision came because of rising oil prices. Plastics used to produce water bottles are a petroleum product. As the price of gas at the pumps soared above $4 per gallon, so did Elyon's cost of purchasing plastic bottles, eating any profits.
When Murry Spring Bottling opened the Elyon plant in July 1998, crude oil sold for $14.07 per barrel, Carson said.
He and his son Kurt Carson own Carson Unlimited, a construction company.
“My construction company goes back 39 years in the city of Ely,” Carson said.
Licensed through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the state, Elyon meets all state and federal quality guidelines, Carson said.
“Through the Food and Drug Administration we had to be permitted to open this plant,” he said. “They said this is some of the finest water.”
Carson compared the four-year-long federal and state inspection and permitting process to open the bottled water plant to opening a dairy.
“To build this I had to hire a specialist out of California,” he said.
“I'm really proud of what we've done here,” Carson said of the dual federal and state water quality approvals.
“Our water is unchlorinated. it's raw water when it comes to the plant,” Carson said.
During its first year of operation, Murry Springs Bottling won an award from then Gov. Bob Miller for a renewable resource exported out of a county.
Quality is measured in a lab staffed by Kurt Carson.
“We check every batch of water, every 500 gallons,” he said.
Each batch is tested for E-coli and other pollutants to ensure quality.
When the small bottle line reopens sometime in the future, it is capable of filling and capping 3,000 bottles per hour.
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go4 it wrote on Jan 14, 2009 10:37 AM:
" I don't know the Carson's but they are getting a bad name for standing up for what they believe. I know the mine needs the water but don't put the Carson's down for protesting. This is America!!!! They have the right to voice their concerns over what may be the end to a huge investment. How many of you would lay down and let the mine walk over you if you had made those business investments?? None of you is right!!!! All of you might just be the selfish ones for not pressing for more research into whether drawing that water will affect your county long term! Or maybe you wont care because you'll be out of here when the mine busts anyway. "
getinfocorrect wrote on Jan 13, 2009 12:31 PM:
" Trader Joe, maybe you better get your information correct, it's the City that has the water rights that could be effected by the mine. Where does it mention the County? But if you don't like the job your elected officials do, step up or shut up. the people need officials who will get all the facts, make informed decisions and are not just talk and no action. "
trader joe wrote on Jan 13, 2009 11:52 AM:
" Don't worry, those poor spellers are all county commissioners, just trust them! There are several reasons to stop worrying about this whole issue #1. The metals market is following the rest of the economy, so the mine is probably going to close. #2. If the mine closes so will Elyon, remember, the mine is their largest customer. #3. As soon as the mine closes SNWA wil be filing on the water right. #4. Those proposed power plants, they will not be built either, so SNWA will file on those rights too Good-bye Ely, see how well the good ole boys managed your county! "
stunyzzuf wrote on Jan 11, 2009 2:28 PM:
" A kuple ov u knead sum spelin lessens. Lern to right befour u coment hear. "
cant we all just get along wrote on Jan 10, 2009 10:02 PM:
" RNMC is asking white pine county to TRUST them by granting thayr application for temarery use of the water rights. through CONFLICT thay have arived at what thay tink is the best way to achieve thayr goals and maintain and/or streangthen the integraty of the water supply to the city of ely and all els who use murry springs. thayr COMITTMENT to this can be observed by thyr budgeting of over 1 million dollers and a dead line of next year to finish the upgrades. RNMC is holding themselves ACCOUNTABLE by maintaining temparary rights 20 years after dewatering is compleat to address and corect any problems or issues that may occure from this project. the RESULTS of this endever have bean projected as posative the mine stays runing till 2016 possably longer supporting whitepine countys econamy. but who knows untill we put aside our differances and work together. if nothing els RNMC upgrades the water system murry spring goes dry and nothing els changes becaus the city of ely still has water "
get it right wrote on Jan 10, 2009 9:41 PM:
" went to the city councile mtg the other night and was inerested to see how blind people can be to what the true isue is. i dont think it has any thing to with kieth carson and inabilaty to care for anything more than himself (what a coward has his wife do all the talking). and mr hansen and mr haslem (so if murry springs dried up tomarrow and your wells went dry because of andersons food town would you go after them. you chose to live outside the city limets so you take responsability for that choise). i think the real isue hear is that the city of ely gets a verry large percentage of its water resorce from murry springs and the concern is that if aproved the mines dewatering project may efect that water supply by eather contamination or draining the aquafire. so now that the true isue is on the table i ask what do we do if eather of these happen lets say murry springs dries up tomarrow will we be ok (dean day) we will be in trouble. (sherry gaddie RNMC hydroagist) if granted our application for water rights we agree to upgarde the exsisting water system that will add to the large percentage already supplied by murry springs (witch would ease the growing pains should thayr be a large influx of workers and familys should the power plants goahead) or ease the crises presented shold murry springs become contaminated or dry up. does anyone els have any other ideas thay would like to present for the corection of this posible problem(cherp.cherp.) i dident think so because you are all to busy crying like little girles instead of stand up like men and working together like neighbors to fix the problemif murry springs dries tomarrow because of something that none of us can control thayr wont be a elyon or a bathlumber or riddlies or a RNMC and the only peaple that have oferd a proposal to help fix it (mrs carson) are the people working for the CANADIENS. "
kx450racer wrote on Jan 10, 2009 7:39 AM:
" 600+ signatures means nothing? how many signatures did the naysayers have? our city council should have and had oppurtunity to drop the protest and did'nt do so. keith why dont you get your buisness appraised and i am sure the mine will give you fair market value. oh wait they tried but you wouldnt give up your books. i am sure you want to sell your molehill for the price of a gold laiden mountain. i just cannot believe that in this time of economic struggle that someone with a pretty thick wallet would only think of his own riches. this mine is all that this community has going for it right now. without it the local economy that is already struggling will be destroyed. think about a county with $4,000,000.00 less in the bank per year. and that is without property tax. that would be the immediate loss. i think that you and all the other naysayers (all 4 of them) can suck it up better than the majority of the employees at robinson mine. "
Howard Roark wrote on Jan 9, 2009 7:22 PM:
" Boom or bust. You choose a mining economy you live with what a mining economy has to offer. Selfish is thinking that someone who has followed all the rules, invested his or her time, effort and money, should change course because it is convenient for you, even if you represent a majority.
If you truly feel Keith should roll over for your mine, understand that you forfeit the right to challenge or complain when a larger community of people asks the same of you, as individuals or a community.
You don't like Elyon water's individualism and pioneering spirit, don't buy it. But don't ask someone who who dared to stand on their own, who assumed financial risk, to give it up for YOU.
Stick to yer guns Keith, but it's probably a loosing battle. I'll bet someday in the not too distant future Elyon water will be flowing from taps in Vegas and/or Southern California because someone will argue it's better for the greater good and justify taking it from you. Oh yea, and them. "
no fan of the selfish wrote on Jan 9, 2009 5:25 PM:
" It never ceases to amaze me how self centered you can be Keith Carson. It is sad you only are you in it only for yourself and your family (when it suits your egocentric purposes). This town has been your home and provided you with a significant portion of that wealth you have accumulated. You comment you don't want to finger point that the economy suffers when the mines leave??? What the H*** is that supposed to mean? How many jobs to you offer the community - with or without the mine. Then you even elude to the fact your operation is more important than the mine - thats a good one. You are eager to jump on that soap box and potentially jeopardize the lives of how many? For a business that is failing whether or not it has water and most likely only serves as a tax write off for you. I believe the only reason you want to salvage your bottling company is so you can sell it off and increase that lovely bank account of yours. Hopefully this will prove White Pine County, once and for all, what an awful person you really are. "
Robert Avery wrote on Jan 9, 2009 1:24 PM:
" Dumb question: can't the water pumped from the mine be used for bottling? I know right from the pit it can't, but how about filtering, RO'ing or Distilling? We can put a man on the moon, desalinate sea water... but the water from the Ruth Pit is toxic waste? I dont think so. "
Bad Guy wrote on Jan 8, 2009 6:54 PM:
" Fight for your family there Kieth. Put 400+ people out of work to keep your limp you know what Elyon open. God forbid your family might have to actually work for a livin! Were are the 15 jobs you said you were going to bring to begin with? Your not going to BS the mine into providing you with cheap water like you did the City! "
Return of the Jedi wrote on Jan 8, 2009 6:53 PM:
" Impressive. Can Elyon help the economy of Ely or support 500 fulltime jobs. Nope. Didn't think so. But, if the mine needs something built, say, ohh, I dunno, a device for removeing water? Maybe Carson Constrution can build it! Nah, Carson don't care about the mine employees or thier families. He hates your children! His wallet is his family. "
I wrote on Jan 8, 2009 5:08 PM:
" BURN! "
Bwon wrote on Jan 8, 2009 5:06 PM:
" Bullsh*t,bullsh*t,bullsh*t. Look here Carson, don't be an as*clown. You make 500 lose there jobs that means they all move. Then, you don't have crap to build. If you weren't such a tight-as*, maybe you would do something productive for this town. For instance; how about giving some of that crappy water to our thirsty High School and Middle School athletes. Whats the matter? High horse a little too comfortable? Your a jerk. So put 500 jobs in jeopardy to sell Montazoma's revenge with an Moron, I mean Elyon label. Guess I'll see you at the party on Friday at 4:00 sharp! P.S. Not only does Gatorade quench your thirst, it tastes better too! G-A-T-O-R-A-D-E.... "
big bob wrote on Jan 8, 2009 9:34 AM:
" I travel all over the US and the only place I've ever found Elyon water is in Ely. Sounds like selling snow cones to eskimos. Numerous studies have shown that bottled water is no better than tap water, in fact it ususaly worse because petroleum products from the plastic leach into the water. Then all that plastic goes to the landfill to continue leaching chemicals into the groundwater. "
spook wrote on Jan 8, 2009 12:10 AM:
" Mr. Carson give it up all ready!!!!! strike a deal with the Robinson mine to hire your employees with the mine and a realy good contract for your construction company and give up the water plant!!!! If you can not afford the small bottles of water and only sell the large 5 gallons of water localy what type of money are you truly generating???
In SHORT A FEW part time employees VS. 480 - 500 FULL AND PART TIME EMPLOYEES WITH CONSIDERABLE GROSS INCOME.
P.S. I personaly do not buy ELYON water due the fact that if I wanted ELYON water I would turn on my own tap in the kitchen!!!!! Not pay your price for water that I already pay for!!!!! "
Not a hick wrote on Jan 7, 2009 6:59 PM:
" First of all, no water bottling company is regulated by any Federal or State agency. I think this has been well documented over the last couple of years when everyone finally figured out the bottle of water they were paying a dollar or more for was from who knows were! The E-coli test makes me laugh! They don't even know the proper name of such a simple test! "
