Meeting or Exceeding Regulatory Requirements

In the U.S., municipal water supplies are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under The Safe Drinking Water Act and the bottled water industry is regulated as a food product by the FDA under the Bottled Water Regulations (which dictate water quality standards) and under the Current Good Manufacturing Practices (which dictate standards for the processing and manufacture of bottled water). The Safe Drinking Water Act also requires that bottled water meets all of the requirements of municipal water supplies. Together, these regulations mandate the testing of over 50 constituents at specified intervals to ensure that bottled water meets these standards.

In light of these regulations, Nestlé Waters has developed internal standards based upon both sets of regulations, which meet or are more stringent than regulatory standards in all cases. We test our finished product for every constituent required by the EPA and FDA, and our allowable limits for regulated parameters are more stringent than both EPA Primary Standards and FDA Standards of Quality guidelines. The only exception is for radiological parameters, where we use the same regulatory standards. Our standards also meet individual state regulations, as well as Canadian regulatory requirements, which are almost identical to those in the U.S.

On a per–gallon basis, we test our water as often as, or more often than, municipal water sources. For example, in the case of coliform, an indicator of contamination, we conduct one test for every 40,000 gallons of water. By comparison, a large municipal supplier conducts one test for every 2.7 million gallons of water processed. In many cases, we also test our water on a frequency basis as often as, or more regularly than, required by the EPA and FDA. For example, we test for bromate daily on every production line in every factory, whereas municipal water suppliers are only required to test monthly.

On an annual basis, there are a few instances where we test less frequently than municipal water suppliers, because our sources are not prone to the same types of contamination as some municipal water sources. In these cases, we still meet reporting requirements of the EPA and FDA. In addition, we use a multi-barrier process, which includes additional safety steps beyond those typically performed by municipal water suppliers, including microfiltration, ultraviolet light and, where appropriate, ozonation. These further protect our products from contamination. Learn more about our testing standards.

All tests required by regulations are conducted by third-party certified labs accredited by the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation program overseen by the EPA and, in addition, we conduct in-house tests to ensure product quality. Nestlé Waters submits samples for analysis in a manner similar to municipal systems, following requirements regarding sample size and collection method, shipment, preservation, timing and temperature, among other factors. From 2005 through 2007, we did not have any violations of EPA or FDA regulatory limits.

We publish quality reports, based on independent testing results that are comparable to those published by municipal water utilities. These reports are available at or by calling the toll-free number on our bottle labels.

Additionally, we open our doors to third-party inspections by key retail customers who ask to conduct audits on an intermittent basis. The military also conducts spot audits of plants with which it has contracts. Finally, we participate in an International Bottled Water Association program that includes unannounced third-party annual inspections by the National Sanitation Foundation a non-governmental organization that develops standards and provides product certification, a non-governmental organization that develops standards, and provides product certification and education in the field of public health and safety.

No matter how strong our focus on safety, no system is flawless. In the unlikely event that a significant quality problem occurs, a recall process is in place that would allow us to trace water based upon a code on each bottle that specifies the plant location, bottling line and time produced. Our traceability system would then enable us to instruct affected retailers to remove the product and notify the public. Any returned product would be analyzed to identify the cause of and correct the problem, before being destroyed. During this reporting period of 2005 to 2007, we did not have any product recalls.

Additional Information on Water Safety Issues of Public Interest

In addition to independent testing, Nestlé Waters monitors product safety issues, including those related to water contaminants and packaging for finished products.

Water Quality Issues

For our spring water brands, we use groundwater sources that are less vulnerable to contaminants than surface sources commonly used by some municipal suppliers.

In those cases where we use municipal water sources for our purified water brands, we perform specialized filtration processes to remove any contaminants that may be present.

Learn how Nestlé Waters addresses some common stakeholder concerns regarding contaminants in water. For all of these constituents, Nestlé Waters meets all EPA and FDA guidelines.

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