At New York's Del Posto, customers have the option to split a $130 wild branzino entree with roasted fennel and peperonata concentrato and indulge in a $3,600 bottle of Dom Perignon. However, they are not allowed to split a bottle of Perrier or San Pellegrino water. The Italian restaurant, supported by celebrities Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich, is among those opting out of serving bottled water, following the lead of San Francisco and New York state. Bastianich, who is gradually eliminating bottled water from his restaurant chain, including locations in Los Angeles, stated, "The case for local water is strong and clear. It's about reducing transportation, packaging, and the impracticality of shipping water globally." Beverage companies like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestle, and SABMiller are increasingly aware of the impact of environmental concerns on their bottled water sales. As water scarcity becomes a growing issue, these companies are taking steps to address negative consumer perceptions and maintain access to water resources. Steve Dixon, who manages the Global Beverage Fund at Arnhold & S. Bleichroeder, likened water to the new oil, emphasizing the importance of addressing perceptions around water usage in the face of climate change and population growth. While Dixon believes there will always be enough water overall, he recognizes the significance of consumer perceptions and the need to address them. Brooke Barton, who manages corporate accountability for Ceres, an organization focused on sustainability, stated that currently about one-third of the global population resides in regions experiencing water stress. She predicts that by 2025, this number will increase to about two-thirds. Andy Wales, head of sustainable development at SABMiller, a brewing company that consumed 94.5 billion liters of water in its last fiscal year, emphasized that while water is currently inexpensive, this may change in the future. This equates to 4.5 liters of water needed for every liter of beer produced. The cost of water and energy combined only accounted for 5 percent of the total costs, with brewing ingredients, bottling materials, and labor overshadowing them. Despite this, the brewer mentioned that water costs at a Bogota, Colombia plant are increasing by around 12 percent annually due to soil erosion and deforestation caused by cattle grazing upstream. New water pricing models, such as the European Union's Water Framework Directive, are being introduced to tax water starting in 2010 in order to promote more sustainable water usage. Agriculture accounts for 70 percent of the world's water usage, while industry uses 20 percent. However, any industry that relies on agriculture, including those producing meat and jeans, faces more challenges than just their own water usage. Companies such as SABMiller, Coke, and Pepsi are now taking into account their "water footprints," which includes the water used throughout their entire supply chain, such as for growing ingredients like barley and hops. For example, SABMiller's total water use can be up to 34 times more than what it uses directly, varying from 40 liters for a liter of beer in Central Europe to 155 liters in South Africa. By using the lower ratio as an estimate, SABMiller's total water footprint in the previous year was approximately 8.4 trillion liters, which is more than double what Iceland used in 2004. "In the long term, we do consider it a risk," stated Wales. Multinational drink companies are responding to criticism by implementing water conservation measures such as setting targets, building community wells, and creating more efficient factories. They are also collaborating with locals on sustainable farming, water harvesting, and reforestation, as well as exploring new technologies to reduce water consumption while increasing drink production. Greg Koch, managing director of global water stewardship at Coke, emphasized the importance of businesses with a direct connection to water taking responsibility. Nonalcoholic drink makers use 0.03 percent of groundwater in the United States, according to the American Beverage Association. Despite this low percentage, the industry's visibility makes it a key player in the ongoing battle for water resources, as noted by Kim Jeffery, CEO of Nestle Waters North America. Jeffery compared criticism of his industry to a gnat bothering an elephant, as opposition from residents and environmental groups has derailed his contract to build a bottling plant in McCloud, California. Nestle is conducting a 3-year study of the area's resources, but Jeffery believes the project may never come to fruition due to changing economics and hesitancy on both sides. Tom Pirko of Bevmark LLC emphasized the importance of aligning with consumer sentiment on such issues, citing Coca-Cola's experience in Kerala, India where its bottling plant was shut down amid accusations of depleting the water table. Coke claimed that its plant was not the cause of the shortages, but there was still widespread outrage, with students in Britain and North America calling for boycotts. A college in Massachusetts, Smith College, even ended a long-standing relationship with the company by not allowing it to bid for its soft drink contract. Koch stated that they lost the social license to operate as a result. Environmental and community groups are continuing to push for Coke to be removed from other villages in India.