Locally produced bottled water could become a reality in the next few years.

But only if the city of Flagstaff gives the green light to the pumping of millions of gallons of potable water out of a city-owned spring high up on the San Francisco Peaks. Regional bottled water producer Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water, a Nestle subsidiary, has renewed a request to the city of Flagstaff to move forward on a study of the Inner Basin wells on the San Francisco Peaks.

The study would assess whether the spring could support the pumping of an additional 55 million gallons of potable water a year. Last year, the city pumped 86 million gallons out of the Inner Basin.

At least twice in the last decade – 2002 and 2004 – the city did not pump any water from the basin because of dry conditions that lowered the water table, according to city records.

Both the city and Arrowhead officials stress that the study is only a preliminary step in researching whether a plant could be built here in Flagstaff.

A natural resources manager with Arrowhead, Larry Lawrence, said the company has been interested in the site since 1999.