Diners at New York's Del Posto have the option to share a $130 entree featuring wild branzino fish, roasted fennel, and peperonata concentrato, as well as a $3,600 bottle of Dom Perignon. However, they are not allowed to share a bottle of Perrier or San Pellegrino water. The Italian restaurant, supported by celebrities Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich, is among those choosing to avoid bottled water, along with San Francisco and New York state. Bastianich, who is gradually eliminating bottled water from his restaurant group, including locations in Los Angeles, emphasized the importance of using local water due to environmental concerns related to transportation and packaging. Beverage companies like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestle, and SABMiller are increasingly aware of the negative consumer perceptions regarding the environmental impact of bottled water as environmental concerns impact sales. With water becoming scarcer, these companies are taking steps to address the issue and avoid being seen as wasteful. According to Steve Dixon of Arnhold & S. Bleichroeder, water scarcity is a growing concern due to climate change and population growth, leading to the belief that "water is the new oil." While Dixon is confident in the overall availability of water, he acknowledges the importance of addressing consumer perceptions to maintain a positive image. Around 33% of the global population currently resides in regions experiencing water scarcity, as stated by Brooke Barton from Ceres, an organization focused on sustainability. Barton predicts that this number will increase to approximately 66% by 2025. While water is currently inexpensive, there is a concern about rising costs in the future, according to Andy Wales, head of sustainable development at SABMiller, a company that used 94.5 billion liters of water in its most recent fiscal year. This equates to 4.5 liters of water being used for every liter of beer produced. Water and energy expenses only accounted for 5 percent of the total costs, with brewing ingredients, bottling materials, and labor overshadowing them. The brewer noted that water costs at a Bogota, Colombia plant are increasing by about 12 percent annually due to soil erosion and deforestation caused by cattle grazing upstream. New water pricing strategies are being implemented, such as the European Union's Water Framework Directive which will impose taxes on water starting in 2010 to promote more sustainable usage. Agriculture accounts for 70 percent of global water consumption, while industry uses 20 percent. However, any industry that relies on agriculture, whether it be meat or clothing production, faces challenges beyond its own water usage. Companies like SABMiller, along with Coke and Pepsi, are now analyzing their "water footprints." SABMiller discovered that the water used throughout its supply chain, including for growing barley and hops, can be 34 times greater than its own direct water consumption. With 139 breweries worldwide, the company's total water usage varies from 40 liters per liter of beer in Central Europe to 155 liters in South Africa. Based on the lower estimate, SABMiller's overall "water footprint" was approximately 8.4 trillion liters last year, which is more than double the amount used by Iceland in 2004. Wales stated that in the long run, they view it as a risk. Multinational beverage companies are taking steps to address criticism by setting water conservation goals, constructing community wells and more efficient factories, collaborating with locals on sustainable farming, water harvesting, and reforestation, and seeking new technologies to decrease water usage while increasing production. Greg Koch, Coke's managing director of global water stewardship, emphasized the importance of these actions for businesses closely tied to water resources. Non-alcoholic beverage makers use a small percentage of groundwater in the US, but their significance as visible water users makes them key players in the water resource debate, according to Kim Jeffery, CEO of Nestle Waters North America. Jeffery compared criticism of his industry to a gnat bothering an elephant, as his contract to build a bottling plant in McCloud, California faces opposition from residents and environmental groups. Nestle has started a 3-year study of the area's resources, but Jeffery believes the project may never come to fruition due to changing economics and hesitation on both sides. Tom Pirko, president of Bevmark LLC, emphasized the importance of companies aligning with consumer values on such issues, citing Coca-Cola's experience in Kerala, India where their bottling plant was closed amid accusations of depleting the water table. Coca-Cola stated that its plant was not the cause of the shortages, however, there was still widespread outcry globally. Students in Britain and North America called for boycotts, and Smith College in Massachusetts ended a long-standing partnership with the company by not allowing them to bid for their soft drink contract. According to Koch, the loss of the social license to operate was significant. Environmental and community organizations continue to oppose Coca-Cola's presence in other Indian villages.