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Natural Mineral Water Regulations

Bottled water is defined as a food and is regulated under the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Tap water and groundwater (the source for mineral water) is under the auspices of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Natural mineral water is a bottled water and is under the jurisdiction of both the FDA and the EPA. Natural mineral water regulations are further complicated by each state's health measures.

  1. Defining Mineral Water

    • Natural mineral water is water containing minerals like calcium, magnesium or iron. As defined by the FDA, mineral water must contain at least 250 parts per million (ppm) of total mineral substance (also called dissolved solids). The FDA further requires that mineral water not have minerals added to it. Water that comes from a tap or municipal water system has been treated to remove mineral particles along with undesirable chemicals and bacteria and cannot be called mineral water.

    Regulations

    • Mineral water is regulated by the FDA under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Its bottling must also comply with portions of the Code of Federal Regulations under Title 21, which outlines good manufacturing practices that all bottled water manufacturers must follow. Mineral water is regulated as a bottled drinking water and a packaged food product and must adhere to the FDA's laws on product safety, labeling and required facility inspection. Mineral water may also be subject to state regulations. For example, the state of Oklahoma defines natural mineral water as "natural water" and provides their own labeling requirements for natural water.

    Label and Sourcing Regulations

    • If a mineral water falls above or below the stated 250 ppm of total minerals, then the FDA requires the label to indicate this by stating "low mineral content" or "high mineral content." The actual size and placement of this information is part of FDA requirements. The FDA states that the source for mineral water is required to be "tapped at one or more bore holes or springs, originating from a geologically and physically protected underground water source."

    FDA Inspections

    • All water bottlers, including those producing mineral water, are subject to their state's health regulations. Bottlers who ship across state lines are subject to unannounced inspections from the FDA and state health inspectors. Self-imposed regulation occurs when mineral water bottlers are members of the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA). An unannounced annual inspection is conducted through a third party on behalf of the IBWA. This inspection includes the regulations set forth by the IBWA and the FDA.

    International Standards

    • International mineral water standards are more stringent in some cases than the U.S. national standards. For example, the Natural Resources Defense Council notes that the European Union's standards for mineral water include a total bacteria count and ban all parasites and pathogens. This is not so of the FDA regulations.

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