Op-Ed: Taking a Stand Against Proposed Water Bottle Ban

The Los Angeles City Council has a city-wide ban on plastic bottles in its sights as it pursues an impractical sustainability agenda. But before taking any definitive action, council members should keep community interests in mind, especially those of us who own or support small businesses in low-income and minority communities. Overly broad product bans could harm not only our business, but also our ability to support our community, who we value as much more than just customers.

There are over 150,000 convenience stores operating in the United States, and 63% of them are owned by single-store operators. Many residents rely on mom-and-pop establishments like ours for essential daily goods. These convenience stores are small oases in areas defined by high poverty rates and lack of access to large grocery stores, which can leave residents stranded in a food desert.

Food deserts are growing more and more common in Los Angeles. At least 370,000 households live in these areas, placing Los Angeles among the top ten cities in the nation with the most or largest food deserts. In South Central Los Angeles alone, where the average per-capita income is roughly $17,000, there are only seven large grocery stores to service over 750,000 residents. Corner and convenience stores step into this void by providing residents with essential goods.

As someone who represents LA small businesses, I know the struggles local owners face firsthand in this economy. I know the water quality and contamination issues that the 1.14 million Los Angelenos in poor and minority communities contend with every day. I also know that in East Los Angeles, known for its strong Hispanic and Black communities, families are scared to drink from the tap given well-documented levels of PFAS and other “forever chemicals” in their water.

Small businesses owners understand the bottled water we offer is as much of a necessity for neighborhood residents as a loaf of bread or gallon of milk. Residents living with contaminated water in their homes have little choice but to turn to bottled water as the only safe alternative.

Meanwhile, policymakers have been quick to propose bans that would eliminate clean water lifelines, while neglecting to fix the over 370 water systems in California that fail to meet the state’s water quality standards.

Caught in the crossfire are convenience stores, which operate in low-income areas and communities of color and sell safe, clean bottled water to our neighbors and loved ones. My community of small business owners helps to fill the gap left by lawmakers and ensure that access to clean, safe, and affordable drinking water is a human right. The Los Angeles City Council should not enact impractical policies that prevent these stores from helping residents to exercise this right.

I will not deny that a bottle ban would impact the revenue of small mom-and-pop stores throughout the city, but that’s nothing compared to the harm it would inflict on the low-income and minority communities we call home. It also certainly doesn’t address the root of this issue – our inadequate water infrastructure – and offers no viable alternative solution for residents who rely on bottled water as their only source of safe, clean drinking water.

We need a better path forward that considers the needs of low-income neighborhoods and communities of color in Los Angeles. The City Council should start by considering the impact of its impractical water bottle ban on convenience stores and the communities they support.

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