Appendix

Water definitions

Natural mineral water

The basic requirements of the UK regulations are:

• Must come from a recognised groundwater source. Recognition is granted by local authorities to meet EU standards and requires a lengthy testing process to ensure freedom from pollution and a consistent mineral composition.

• Must be bottled at source unless the practise was to tanker to the bottling plan on or before 17th July 1980.

• Cannot undergo treatment except permitted treatment for filtration of particles.

• Nothing can be added to water except carbon dioxide for carbonation.

• The water can only be bottled under a single name, described as natural mineral water.

• The water must meet strict requirements for microbiological and chemical purity.

Spring water

The basic requirements of the UK regulations are:

• Must come from a groundwater source.

• Must be bottled at source (unless the practise was to tanker to the bottling plant on or before 23rd November 1996).

• In the UK, spring water can currently undergo certain forms of permitted treatment.

• The water can only be bottled under a single named Spring Water. However, additional Bottled Drinking Waters can be produced from the same source.

• The water must meet requirements for microbiological and chemical quality.