Farmers and residents from the tiny north-east Victorian community of Stanley will appeal to Asahi-Schweppes to stop buying up and bottling their only source of water.

The local mayor is leading the charge, drawing up a 3000 page petition urging Asahi-Schweppes to stop bottling their water .

Indigo Shire Councillor Jenny O’Connor told Ross and John the company is trucking it away in tankers, leaving the little town literally high and dry.

“The farmers are reliant on bore water,” Cr O’Connor said.

“A water miner has bought up a farm and converted the water licence, which was being used for agriculture, converted it to commercial use.

“So basically he just pulls the water out of the bore and sticks it in great big B-Double tankers, and takes it to a factory and it gets shipped off overseas.

“The water is really cheap, it’s an absolute gold mine for the water extractors.

“It’s a really small little community, and they’re taking on Schweppes.

“It’s a true David and Goliath story.”

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Stanley, near Beechworth, has a population of just 370 people.

Photo: Fairfax Media