Starbucks' No-Free-Water Policy Amid Desert Heat

As triple-digit temperatures scorch the Coachella Valley, residents are speaking out against Starbucks' new policy of no longer offering free water without a purchase. One woman in Cathedral City shared her experience of being denied water after working outside in extreme heat. Though she eventually received water after insisting, she criticized the company's inflexible policy, citing public health and basic decency. Many locals argue that in such a hot climate, access to free water should be a given, especially from a business they regularly support. The change in policy has some reconsidering whether they'll continue to frequent the coffee chain.