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Bottled Water Regulations in the UK

In 1996, the United Kingdom's Food Safety Administration first brought in regulations for the production and sale of bottled water. These regulations have been amended several times since then. Because consumption of bottled water has risen sharply, consumers have an increased interest in what is in their bottled water. All bottled water sold in the UK must be labeled with one of the three types of water: natural mineral water, spring water or bottled drinking water.

  1. Types

    • The Food Safety Administration list three types of bottled water for consumption. Natural mineral water is water that originates from an underground table or deposit which emerges from a spring and is tapped at one or more natural exits. Spring Water originates from an underground water source, is bottled at the source and satisfies biological labeling requirements. Bottled drinking water is drinking water that doesn't come from a spring or natural mineral source and may come from a variety of sources, including municipal supplies.

    Natural Mineral Water

    • Natural mineral water must come from a recognized spring and must be tapped from a natural exit. The spring must be free from pollution, and certain information about the source must be known. The water's physical and chemical characteristics must be analyzed. In addition, this information should be gathered over time to make sure the properties of the water remain consistent and for quality control purposes.

    Spring Water

    • Spring water should come from an aquifer or other water deposit point. Its chemical composition need not be constant; however, it must be bottled at the source to be labeled spring water. Bacterial colony counts and other biological data should be consistently checked. Spring water is intended for consumption without treatment and its label should include information on the spring from which the water was taken.

    Bottled Drinking Water

    • Bottled drinking water has no restrictions on treatments as long as these treatments don't make the water unsuitable for human consumption. However, this water must meet certain safety guidelines set forth by the Food Safety Administration. In addition, flavored waters don't fall within these guidelines and are considered soft drinks. Emergency water isn't covered by the regulations.

    Enforcement

    • Local authorities can carry out periodic checks on water facilities to ensure that they meet the requirements set forth by the Food Safety Administration. The local authorities may enter premises for these purposes. In addition, owners of facilities should do daily checks on microbiological, chemical and physical properties of the water. Authorities have discretion on when to sample.

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