Update, May 8, 2015: In a statement on Thursday, Starbucks announced it would be moving its California bottling operations to Pennsylvania over the next six months, citing concerns over the drought crisis. "We are committed to our mission to be a globally responsible company and to support the people of the state of California as they face this unprecedented drought," John Kelly, Starbucks senior vice president of Global Responsibility and Public Policy, said in a statement. Starbucks said it has distributed over $12 million since buying the water company in 2005. Starbucks donates 5 cents for every bottle of Ethos water it sells to the Ethos Water Fund, which makes grants to improve water and sanitation projects in countries that face water challenges, the company said on its website. Last week, Mother Jones pointed out that Starbucks' Ethos water sold in the Western United States draws its supply from private springs in Baxter, California, which is classified by the state as being in "exceptional drought."
– Starbucks will shift its bottled water operation out of California as the state's lengthy drought intensifies. The coffee chain says it will move production of its Ethos water to Pennsylvania for six months while it searches for an alternative West Coast source, NBC News reports. "We are committed to our mission to be a globally responsible company and to support the people of the state of California as they face this unprecedented drought," the company said in a statement. The announcement follows a critical report in Mother Jones that revealed Ethos water came from private springs in Baxter, an area deemed to be in "exceptional drought." Asked by Mother Jones about concerns surrounding a dwindling water supply for residents, a company rep said Ethos' source "is not used for municipal water for any communities." However, the spring water got bottled in nearby Merced, also under severe drought conditions, and the company used city water as part of the process. The article described how the brand has become a favorite among Hollywood celebs because 5 cents from every bottle goes to the Ethos Water Fund, which works to improve access to water and sanitation abroad. Other bottled water brands, including Nestle, also get their water from California.