After finally getting the ok to move forward with their plans, Crystal Geyser is building a sparkling water bottling plant in Orland.

When searching for a place to start their sparkling mineral water operation, Orland had all the characteristics the company was looking for. From the aquifer, to the heavy industrial property to the small town atmosphere it was perfect.

“Crystal Geyser basically grew up in small towns,” said Alec Van Ryan, public information officer for the Crystal Geyser Project. “They like working in small towns and being part of that culture.”

Plans for the project have been in place since last summer. The project was approved by the Technical Advisory Committee in December, but was faced with two appeals, delaying the projects completion. A unanimous decision was made by City Council on Feb. 1 to approve the Orland Crystal Geyser Project.

With the plant will come 20 to 25 full-time jobs, and Crystal Geyser made a commitment to give Orland residents the upper hand when hiring.

“It’s an easy thing to do because of the quality of people who have come to us,” Van Ryan said. “We’ve already received more than 100 resumes and the people tend to be a good match for the type of jobs we offer. The funding and opportunities brought from this project will open doors for positive growth in Orland.”

The annual positive economic impact through salaries, taxes and local supplier/vendor contracts is expected to range from $1 to $2 million a year when the facility is fully operational.

The next step for Crystal Geyser is to create a Community Advisory Panel, which they hope to do in the next couple of months. This group of volunteers will help the company integrate into the community and truly become part of Orland.

Currently, Crystal Geyser is putting building plans together for submittal to the city. Following this will be a job fair, bidding on construction and by this time next year the operation should be up and running.

The only thing that can stop the project is if an opposing group files a lawsuit within the next four weeks. Save Our Water Resources and Friends of Orland have expressed a dislike for the project from the beginning, but so far neither have decided whether or not they will file an environmental lawsuit.

“There will always be a group of people that will maintain their position and it’s important that all sides be heard,” Van Ryan said. “What you have to do is find all the information available and make it public.”

Crystal Geyser has done just this by opening an information office where community members can come in and get their questions answered, he said. They also have a Web site that is updated regularly with news about the project.

When completed the plant will be an environmentally friendly 112,500-square-foot bottling plant and warehouse. The company will pump 160 acre-feet of water annually and will only produce flavored and unflavored sparkling mineral water beverages.

“We’re very excited about working with the city of Orland and working with the residents,” Van Ryan said. “It will be great.”

To find out more about the project, visit www.crystalgeyserorland.com or call the information office at 530-865-3347.

By Kayla Cook