Will mayor's plan to lease city property to a foreign bottled-water plant please his supporters who own water-filter businesses?

Iceland water company considering Fayetteville
Bruarfoss looking at city's former Tyson property, mayor says
BY SCOTT F. DAVIS Northwest Arkansas Times
Posted on Saturday, October 4, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/69759/
An Iceland-based water company is considering Fayetteville for a new distribution center and company officials are scheduled for a third visit next week.
Fayetteville Mayor Dan Coody said Bruarfoss is considering leasing the city-owned former Tyson complex located on 15 th Street.
Bruarfoss officials are scheduled for a third visit to Fayetteville on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Coody said.
Bruarfoss exports bottled water and small, medium and large bulk water from Iceland’s most pristine water sources, according to its Web site. The company sells water that melts from the glaciers in Iceland and is hoping to become a supplier for Wal-Mart, he said. Because the water is very clean and pure, it can be stored for much longer than tap water and can be used in hospitals for a number of uses, Coody said. Bruarfoss is eyeing the city-owned facility as a site that could serve as a centralized emergency depot from which the company could quickly respond to natural disasters, such a hurricanes, where the demand for water is significant, Coody said.
The company seeks a facility where it can have thousands of gallons ready to go very quickly, he said. “ They are looking at different markets where they can help provide emergency water supplies, ” Coody said.. Coody said he met company officials when he was attending a national conference for mayors.
Coody said that business development efforts appears to be doing some good with officials from company in Washington, Florida and Sweden also considering locating in Fayetteville.
“It looks like it’s starting to payoff,” Coody said.
On Friday, the Fayetteville Economic Development Council and Global Java announced another water company, this one from Sweden, is also considering a move to Fayetteville.
Representatives from Sweden Water will be in Fayetteville next week. A demonstration of the company’s machine and the product will be held at a reception from 6-8 p. m. Thursday at Jammin ’ Java on the Fayetteville Square. A demonstration booth will also be set up at the Fayetteville Town Center on Friday at the Fayetteville Sustainability Summit.
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