Major Bottled Water Brands Could Be Forced To Make Big Changes As Drought Worsens
As source water around the world continues to diminish in the face of growing demand and warming climate, alarms are being raised around increasing consumption by BlueTriton Brands — owner of major bottled water products like Poland Spring, Arrowhead, and Deer Park — as it taps endangered spring water sources.
“BlueTriton’s reliance on springs, as well as its private equity ownership, has drawn the attention of researchers and activists who question its stewardship of resources,” Bloomberg reported. “While BlueTriton’s increased water use at individual springs is legal, these fragile ecosystems can be uniquely impacted by pumping.”
Many other bottled water brands leverage municipal supplies, rather than imperiled springs, putting BlueTriton under unique scrutiny. But as increasing water scarcity challenges systems across the U.S., the industry as a whole is facing new pressure over its thirsty practices.
“Longstanding concerns over the bottling industry have increased as rising temperatures dry rivers and pumping drains aquifers around the world,” according to Bloomberg. “Regulators and lawmakers across the U.S. have moved in recent years to reign in bottling.”
As the tide seems to turn against bottled water companies, BlueTriton has also come under fire for its use of groundwater in Maine. But with regulations tightening and advocacy for source water growing, BlueTriton’s labels and other bottled water brands will find themselves in a challenging spot, as a recent lawsuit shows that customers expect their products to come from the advertised sources.
“Eleven consumers have filed a class action lawsuit … over allegations its Poland Spring ‘100% Natural Spring Water’ bottled water products are illegally mislabeled because they allegedly contain common groundwater,” per Top Class Actions. “Under FDA regulations, the well water must be ‘hydraulically connected’ to a natural spring and have the same physical and chemical characteristics as the spring water, the Poland Spring class action lawsuit asserts.”
With regulations evolving to better protect source water as drought intensifies, BlueTriton and other bottled water producers might have to consider some branding changes.
To read more about how bottled water companies tap sources, visit Water Online’s Food & Beverage Industry Solutions Center.