How Pepsi and Coke make millions bottling tap water, as residents face shutoffs

In recent weeks, on a quiet stretch of Detroit’s west side dotted with vacant homes, a 262,000 sq ft Coca-Cola manufacturing facility has buzzed with activity, even as many businesses in Michigan were ordered by the state to temporarily close to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

Coca-Cola churns out a number of beverages here, including Dasani, the company’s well-known bottled water that generated more than $1bn in US sales in the past year, according to the market research firm IRI.

It’s a good time to be in the water business: as the coronavirus outbreak spread in the US throughout March, bottled water sales increased 57% over the same period last year.