TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Nestlé Waters North America is projected to tap nearly 1 million gallons of water per day from the Ginnie Springs area for bottled water after a permit was approved in February by a government water board. It is projected that Nestlé will tap 400 million gallons of water a year from the Ginnie Springs area.

However, some lawmakers say those companies shouldn't bottle up Florida's water without paying the state.

Democratic Sen. Annette Taddeo proposed a bill that would tax bottled water companies 12.5 cents per gallon should they tap into Florida’s springs. The money collected through the tax would be placed in a trust fund to help support water quality projects throughout the state, such as promoting septic-to-sewer transitions.

“It is unconscionable that certain corporate water bottling companies exploit our state water, without paying their fair share, while all other companies who bottle water through municipalities pay for their water,” Taddeo argued.

Take the poll: should state lawmakers reintroduce legislation next session to ensure bottled water companies pay their fair share for extracting public water?