Guidance

Natural mineral water: rules for local authorities

What local authorities must do to grant recognition for natural mineral water and carry out ongoing checks.

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Published
16 September 2020
Last updated
13 November 2020 — See all updates

Applies to England

This guide is for local authorities in England who need to grant recognition of a natural mineral water spring in their area.

If you’re a producer, read guidance on producing natural mineral water

For local authorities in:

What counts as natural mineral water

Water can only be recognised as natural mineral water if:

  • it comes from an underground water source that’s tapped at a natural or drilled exit
  • it’s free of parasites, and bacteria that cause disease
  • the source has been protected from pollution

When tested, the water’s composition and mineral content must:

  • keep its ‘original purity’ - this means its composition has stayed the same from source to bottling and has not been contaminated
  • be stable (remain consistent) over a period of time when tested

Its mineral composition must be stated on the label and there are only 5 permitted treatments.

Check the different types of bottled water if you’re not sure which type you’re dealing with. You can also check what bottled water is exempt from the rules.

How to grant recognition for natural mineral water

Bottled water producers may contact you to get official recognition for water from a spring or borehole that sits in your local authority area.

You must officially recognise the water before the producer can bottle, market and sell it as natural mineral water. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will add it to a list of recognised natural mineral waters.

Follow these steps to grant recognition.

  1. Check the producer has got a water abstraction licence.

  2. Make sure the producer has gathered the evidence to prove the water is safe and stable. Defra advises that producers should gather data over a 2 year period.

  3. Make sure the producer knows the conditions they must meet when exploiting the spring.

  4. Check if the producer wants to use any of the 5 permitted treatments and, if so, they know the rules to follow. They’re not allowed to use any other treatments.

  5. Make sure the producer knows the rules for labelling.

  6. When you’ve made all the checks and are ready to grant recognition, put this in writing to both Defra and the producer.

If you need to refuse recognition, you should also put this in writing to Defra and the producer.

  1. After recognition, check and make sure the producer is complying with rules for exploiting the spring, treatments and labelling.

  2. If the producer’s premises are not yet registered as a food establishment with your local authority, tell them they must do so now.

Check the producer’s evidence for recognition

The producer should gather data over 2 years and send you evidence that their water meets the natural mineral water rules.

They’ll need to send you:

As a local authority, you do not need to collect samples of the water. You can rely on the laboratory reports that the producer sends to you.

But make sure that the producer has used a UKAS accredited laboratory that uses recognised scientific methods for testing natural mineral water.

The producer must take samples of the water at source.

Geological and hydrological surveys

The producer must send you geological and hydrological surveys. These will help you identify any contamination risks to the water source.

The producer’s surveys must show:

  • the exact site of the catchment (area that captures the water) on a map to a scale of not more than 1:1000
  • the altitude of the catchment
  • the boundaries of the area surrounding the spring
  • a detailed geological report on the origin and nature of the land
  • the stratigraphy of the hydrogeological layer (a study of the different layers of rock to show the geological history)

The producer might also provide you with a description of all industry or other activities in the catchment area that could affect the water source, but they do not have to. For example:

  • permitted sites (active and closed), for example, a chemical plant
  • storage and disposal of waste
  • general land uses
  • nitrate vulnerable zones
  • details of any measures to protect the spring against pollution

If you find any risk of contamination in these geological and hydrological surveys, then you must investigate the risks further.

If a risk cannot be removed, then:

  • the water may not be fit for human consumption
  • you may not be able to grant recognition for it as natural mineral water

Physical and chemical reports

The producer must carry out several physical and chemical tests and send the results to you in a report.

Physical and chemical reports: recording factors

The producer must provide monthly records from the past 2 years of the:

  • rate of the spring’s flow
  • temperature of the water at source
  • ambient temperature
  • dry residues at 180°C and 260°C (this indicates the total mineral content)
  • electrical conductivity or resistivity (the water’s capacity to transfer electricity) - these should show the temperature of water when tested

Check that these factors are stable from month to month. This means they do not change more than 20% from the first time they were tested.

The producer must also show they’ve recorded the following once during the past 2 years (the period of gaining recognition):

  • relationship between the nature of the land and the nature and type of minerals in the water
  • radio-actinological properties at source (a study of the effect of light on chemicals)
  • relative isotope levels of the constituent elements of water, oxygen (O-O 1816) and hydrogen (protium, deuterium, tritium) if they exist

These will help to demonstrate the properties of the water.

Physical and chemical reports: anions, cations, non-ionised compounds and trace elements

The producer must test for anions, cations, non-ionised compounds or trace elements to show what levels are in the water, and send these results to you in a report.

They must test these every 3 months during the period of getting recognition. Check these are stable - the levels must not change more than 20% from the first time they were tested.

Type What the producer must measure in milligrams per litre
Anions Borate BO3-
Carbonate CO32
Chloride Cl-
Fluoride F-
Hydrogen Carbonate HCO3-
Nitrate NO3-
Nitrite NO2-
Phosphate PO BO43-
Silicate SiO2
Sulphate SO42-
Sulphide S2-
Cations Aluminium A1
Ammonium NH4+
Calcium Ca
Magnesium Mg
Potassium K
Sodium NA
Non-ionised compounds Total organic carbon C
Free carbon dioxide CO2
Silica SiO2
Trace elements Barium Ba
Bromine (total) Br
Cobalt Co
Copper Cu
Iodine (total)
Iron Fe
Lithium Li
Manganese Mn
Molybdenum Mo
Strontium Sr
Zinc Zn

Physical and chemical reports: chemicals and minerals naturally present in the water at source

The producer must send you a report showing that they’ve recorded the levels of chemicals and minerals that are present in the water.

These should be naturally present and not as the result of contamination.

The producer should have monthly records of this test from the past 2 years (the period for getting recognition).

Check that these chemicals and minerals do not exceed the following maximum limits and are stable from month to month (they do not change more than 20% from the first time they were tested).

Chemical Maximum limit (milligrams per litre)
Antimony 0.0050
Arsenic (as total) 0.010
Barium 1
Cadmium 0.003
Chromium 0.050
Copper 1.0
Cyanide 0.070
Fluoride 5.0
Lead 0.010
Manganese 0.50
Mercury 0.0010
Nickel 0.020
Nitrate 50
Selenium 0.010

If any chemicals or minerals persistently exceed the limit, the water cannot be recognised as natural mineral water.

Physical and chemical reports: chemicals artificially present in the water at source, as a result of human intervention

The producer should send you a report showing the levels of chemicals that have been artificially introduced into their water. They only need to test the water once at source and can do this towards the end of the period they’re gathering evidence.

Check that the artificial chemicals do not exceed the following limits.

Chemicals Maximum limits that Defra advises
Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) 0.01 micrograms per litre for individual substances
Volatile organic compounds 1.0 micrograms per litre for individual substances
Trihalomethanes (THMs) 1 micrograms per litre for individual substances
Pesticides 0.1 micrograms per litre for the total of all individual pesticides and their metabolites
0.03 micrograms per litre for aldrin, dieldrin, hepatchlor and heptachlore epoxide

If the water exceeds any of the maximum limits, tell the producer to investigate the cause of the pollution and discuss measures to remove it.

If they cannot remove the pollution, the water cannot be recognised as natural mineral water.

Microbiological reports

The producer must send you reports covering parasites, bacteria and total viable colony counts in the water.

Microbiological reports: parasites

The producer must send you a report showing their water is free of parasites.

They should test for this every 6 months during the period for getting recognition.

Microbiological reports: bacteria that cause disease

The producer must send you a report to show an absence of the following bacteria in the testing conditions set out.

They should carry out these bacteria tests every 3 months during the period for getting recognition.

Producer must show absence of these bacteria Testing conditions
Escherichia coli in 250ml at 37°C and 44.5°C
Other coliforms in 250ml at 37°C and 44.5°C
Faecal streptococci in 250ml at any temperature
Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 250ml at any temperature
Sporulated sulphite-reducing anaerobes in 50ml in any temperature

Microbiological reports: total viable colony count

The producer must test the total viable colony counts (TVCs) every 3 months, both at source and after bottling.

Producers need to test the TVCs during the period to gather evidence for recognition and send you a report with the results. The TVCs are the total number of bacteria picked up by a test on the water.

Producers must collect samples within the first 12 hours after bottling. They need to keep the water at between -1°C and 4°C before sending it to the laboratory.

The TVC, after bottling, should not exceed the following maximum limits.

Maximum limit Testing conditions
100 per millilitre Test at 20 to 22°C in 72 hours on agar-agar or agar-gelatine mixture
20 per millilitre Test at 37°C in 24 hours on agar-agar

Check that the TVC after bottling does not change by more than 20% from the TVC shown at the source.

Summary of physical, chemical and microbiological tests, and how often the producer must carry them out

Use this table to see how often the producer should carry out all tests during the period of getting recognition.

Physio-chemical tests How often
Rate of flow Every month
Water temperature at source Every month
Ambient temperature Every month
Dry residues at 180°C and 260°C (this indicates the total mineral content) Every month
Electrical conductivity (the water’s capacity to transfer electricity) Every month
Anions, cations and non-ionised compounds Every 3 months
Natural chemicals and minerals Every month
Artificial chemicals Once
Microbiological tests How often
Absence of all parasites Every 6 months
Absence of disease-causing bacteria such as E coli in certain testing conditions Every 3 months
Total viable colony count Every 3 months

Check the producer understands the rules for exploiting a natural mineral water spring

Make sure the producer is aware of the rules they must follow once they’ve got recognition and start to exploit the spring.

Rules for protecting the water at source

The producer must make sure that:

  • any equipment they’ll use to collect the water, such as a pump, preserves the properties of the water and avoids contamination
  • the source or borehole is protected against pollution
  • pipes and reservoirs are made to food-grade standards, suitable for water, and are built to prevent any chemical, physio-chemical or microbiological change to the water

Rules for bottling or using containers

The producer’s bottling plant must be based at the spring.

The producer must:

  • meet hygiene requirements when they bottle the water
  • bottle in containers with lids, to avoid tampering or contamination
  • use containers that are made to food-grade standards to avoid adverse effects on the microbiological and chemical characteristics of the water

If the natural mineral water becomes polluted at any stage, the producer must stop bottling from the spring until they’ve removed the cause of the pollution.

Rules for transporting the water

Check that producers will transport their natural mineral water from their plant in bottles or containers that the final customer will use. They must not put the water into tankers.

The only exception to this is if, on or before 17 July 1980, they were transporting water from the spring to a bottling plant further away, in containers (tankers) not intended for the final customer. If they were, they can continue transporting using the same containers now.

Check and authorise treatments

Producers can use only 5 treatments to make their water:

  • taste better, make it safer or remove unwanted elements
  • comply with the rules to gain recognition

The 5 permitted treatments are:

Any other treatments are not allowed.

They must list any of the 5 treatments they want to use when they send you their application for recognition.

If they decide at a later date they want to use one of these treatments, they must put this to you in writing, by email or letter.

Check that the producer understands the treatment rules to follow, listed in this section.

General treatment rules

Make sure the producer understands that, when they carry out any of the 5 treatments, they must not:

  • accidentally disinfect the water as a side effect of the treatment
  • add biostatic elements such as benzyl alcohol, which inhibit the growth of microorganisms, to alter the total viable colony count

Filtration or decanting

Producers can use filtration or decanting to separate unstable elements, like iron, manganese and sulphur in the water.

They can also use oxygenation before they start filtration, to help form unstable elements into flakes (known as flocculation).

They may want to carry out these methods to either:

  • reduce the levels of iron, manganese and sulphur in the water
  • prevent unsightly sediments forming in the bottles during storage

They’re allowed to carry out filtration, decanting or flocculation as long as they do not alter the mineral and chemical composition of the water (with the exception of iron, manganese or sulphur).

They must not allow this treatment to change the total viable colony count of the water.

The producer can check if this is likely to happen by comparing the total viable colony count before filtration and after, to decide if filtration has had a disinfectant effect on the water.

If it has, then they cannot use the treatment in the way they’ve approached it. They’ll need to try again in a different way.

Removal of free carbon dioxide

The producer must only use physical methods to remove free carbon dioxide. They must not use chemical methods.

Making carbonated or sparkling water by adding carbon dioxide

The producer can only make carbonated or sparkling natural mineral water by adding or re-adding carbon dioxide. They must not use any other type of gas to do this.

Ozone-enriched air oxidation

Producers can use ozone-enriched air oxidation to separate compounds of iron, manganese, sulphur and arsenic from water when they occur naturally at source.

They can only use this treatment if all the following apply:

  • before they start, they’ve met the rules for exploiting the spring
  • the treatment does not have an accidental disinfectant effect
  • the treatment does not alter the physio-chemical composition of the water in terms of its minerals, chemicals and microbes (other than iron, sulphur and manganese)
  • it does not leave residues in the water that could pose a risk to public health

Check that any residues caused by this treatment do not exceed the levels set out in this table.

Treatment residue Maximum limit
Dissolved ozone 50 milligrams per litre
Bromate 3 milligrams per litre
Bromoform 1 milligram per litre

You must officially authorise the producer to use this treatment.

You should examine:

  • the producer’s method of treatment
  • proposed place of treatment
  • laboratory results of tests on the water

You can authorise the treatment if you’re satisfied that:

  • it’s justified due to the composition of the water at source
  • the producer has taken any measures needed to make the treatment safe and effective
  • they’ve complied with the treatment rules

Put authorisation in writing to the producer with the date the authorisation starts.

If you refuse to authorise a treatment, you must tell the producer in writing, stating your reasons.

Authorised activated alumina treatment

Producers can only treat the water with activated alumina if they’re trying to remove fluoride. They must follow technical requirements.

Any residues released into the water as a result of removing fluoride must be as low as technically possible and should not pose a risk to public health.

You must officially authorise the producer to use this treatment. You’ll need to give permission at least 3 months before they start.

First, examine:

  • the producer’s treatment method
  • proposed place of treatment
  • laboratory results of tests on the water

You can authorise an activated alumina treatment if you’re satisfied that:

  • the treatment is justified due to the composition of the water at source
  • the producer has taken any measures needed to make the treatment safe and effective
  • they’ve complied with the treatment rules

Put authorisation in writing to the producer with the date the authorisation starts.

If you refuse to authorise a treatment, you must tell the producer in writing, stating your reasons.

How to withdraw authorisation for a treatment

If you’ve previously authorised a treatment and believe the producer is no longer meeting conditions for authorisation, you can withdraw this by sending them a written notice stating your reasons.

Rules for labelling

Before you grant recognition, check the producer understands the rules for labelling.

The producer must put the following on their labelling:

They can also put the following if they want to:

Type of product (sales description)

The words ‘natural mineral water’ must appear on the labelling. This describes the product and is known as the ‘sales description’.

The producer cannot sell it as any other type of water, such as spring water.

If the producer is making carbonated or sparkling natural mineral waters, they must use slightly different sales descriptions set out here.

Sales description Criteria
‘naturally carbonated natural mineral water’ Water with a carbon dioxide content that’s the same after bottling as it was at source. Producers must reintroduce carbon dioxide from the same spring, and to the same level as it occurs naturally at source. They cannot add any more.
‘natural mineral water fortified with gas from the spring’ Water with a carbon dioxide content that’s higher after bottling than it was at source. Producers must reintroduce carbon dioxide from the same spring but can add more than occured naturally at source.
‘carbonated natural mineral water’ Water which contains added carbon dioxide from any other source (and not from the original source).

They can also add the word ‘sparkling’ to any of these 3 products, if they want to. But this must be in addition to the word ‘carbonated’, not instead of.

Name of spring and place where spring is exploited

On the label, the producer must put the name of the:

  • spring - if the spring does not have a name, they must give it one
  • place where the spring is exploited - for example, they could use the town or village name, and ideally add the full postcode

Composition box

The producer must put a statement of composition on the label, showing the chemical and mineral contents of the water.

Fluoride

If there’s more than 1.5 milligrams per litre of fluoride in the water, the producer must state on the label:

‘contains more than 1.5 mg/l of fluoride: not suitable for regular consumption by infants and children under 7 years of age’.

They must put this:

They must also put the fluoride content in the composition box.

Elimination of free carbon dioxide

If the producer has treated their natural mineral water to totally or partially eliminate free carbon dioxide, they must put on the label either:

  • ‘fully de-carbonated’
  • ‘partially de-carbonated’

Ozone-enriched air oxidation technique

If the producer has treated their natural mineral water with ozone-enriched air oxidation technique, the label must contain these words:

‘water subjected to an authorised ozone-enriched air oxidation technique’

This must be placed close to the composition box on the label.

Any other treatments

The producer does not need to list any wording on the label if they’ve used any of these 3 treatments:

  • filtration or decanting
  • introduction or re-introduction of carbon dioxide
  • activated alumina

Trade description (optional)

The ‘trade description’ is also known as the brand name.

Some examples are Buxton, Celtic Vale or Hildon.

The producer does not have to have a trade description for their natural mineral water.

But if they choose to have one, they must follow the trade description rules set out in this section.

Using the town or place as a trade description (brand name)

The producer can use the town or place as the trade description as long as the spring is located there.

They must not use a misleading place as their trade description. For example, they cannot name their water after a town in Somerset if their spring is in Devon.

If they use the town or place as their trade description then they must put the name of the spring elsewhere on the label.

And if they use the name of the spring as their trade description, then they must put the town or place elsewhere on the label.

Using a trade description (brand name) that’s different from the name of the spring and place of exploitation

If producers want to do this, they must make the font for the name of the spring and place at least one and a half times the height and width of the largest of the letters used for their trade description.

Producers cannot have more than one trade description (brand name)

The producer must sell all natural mineral water from the same spring using only one trade description. They cannot sell it under a second name.

For example, if they already sell ‘ABC Natural Mineral Water’ they’re not allowed to sell a new batch from the same spring using the name ‘DEF Natural Mineral Water’.

The only exception is if they want to sell their water to a retailer who will add their own branding to the labels, such as a supermarket, hotel, stadium, museum, venue or cafe.

The best practice way to do this is for the producer to sell the water with both the:

  • producer’s own trade description
  • retailer’s own logo

If they do this, the retailer’s logo does not count as a second brand.

Alternatively, they can choose to not have their own trade description, remove their own logo and sell the water with the retailer’s logo instead. They can do this as long as the retailer’s logo is clearly separate from the sales description ‘natural mineral water’.

Health claims (optional)

Producers are allowed to use certain human health claims on their labels.

They can use one or more of the following:

  • ‘may be diuretic’
  • ‘may be laxative’
  • ‘stimulates digestion’
  • ‘may facilitate the hepato-biliary functions’

They cannot make any other human health claims.

They must carry out scientific studies to show their claims are true. To do this, they must:

  • use scientifically recognised methods
  • prove a substantial number of clinical observations demonstrate the same results over a period of time

Mineral content (optional)

For mineral content, the producer can use the following wording on their labels, if their water meets the criteria.

Wording for label Criteria
Low mineral content Mineral salt content, calculated as a fixed residue, is 500 milligrams per litre or less
Very low mineral content Mineral salt content, calculated as a fixed residue, is 50 milligrams per litre or less
Rich in mineral salts Mineral salt content, calculated as a fixed residue, is 1500 milligrams per litre or more
Contains bicarbonate Bicarbonate content is 600 milligrams per litre or more
Contains sulphate Sulphate content is 200 milligrams per litre or more
Contains chloride Chloride content is 200 milligrams per litre or more
Contains calcium Calcium content is 150 milligrams per litre or more
Contains magnesium Magnesium content greater than 50 milligrams per litre
Contains fluoride Fluoride content is 1 milligrams per litre or more
Contains iron Bivalent iron content is 1 milligrams per litre or more
Acidic Free carbon dioxide content is 250 milligrams per litre or more
Contains sodium Sodium content is 200 milligrams per litre or more
Suitable for a low-sodium diet Sodium content is 20 milligrams per litre or less

Natural mineral water as an ingredient in soft drinks

The producer can list the term ‘natural mineral water’ as an ingredient on labelling if they’re producing soft drinks.

However, they can only do this if their water complies with the natural mineral water rules in this guide, at the point they add the first extra ingredient, such as syrup, to their natural mineral water.

How to grant or refuse recognition

After you receive an application for recognition, you must:

  • decide whether the water meets the conditions to be recognised as a natural mineral water
  • grant or refuse recognition

If you grant recognition

You must notify the producer and Defra in writing as soon as you grant recognition.

You can notify Defra by emailing bottled.water@defra.gov.uk .

You also need to publish in the London Gazette:

  • an announcement of the recognition
  • the grounds on which it has been granted

Use the London gazette announcement template (ODT, 12.8 KB).

If you refuse to grant recognition

You must notify the producer in writing as soon as you refuse recognition.

The producer can appeal to Defra who will review the case and either:

  • confirm your decision to refuse was correct
  • tell you to grant or restore recognition
  • grant or restore the recognition itself

Ongoing checks after you’ve granted recognition

You must check at least once a year that:

Tests after recognition

The law does not set out how often the producer must carry out tests after recognition. So you should carry out your own risk assessments to decide how often the producer must test.

The producer must also design and implement Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) based procedures for the safety of the water .

With these tests and checks in place, you can both make sure the water continues to comply with the rules.

Chemical and mineral tests

The producer must test the water to show it does not exceed the maximum levels for chemicals and minerals that are naturally present in the water.

Decide how often they should test for these, based on your risk assessment of the water.

Chemical Maximum limit (milligrams per litre)
Antimony 0.005
Arsenic (as total) 0.01
Barium 1.0
Cadmium 0.003
Chromium 0.05
Copper 1
Cyanide 0.07
Fluoride 5
Lead 0.01
Manganese 0.5
Mercury 0.001
Nickel 0.02
Nitrate 5
Nitrite 0.1
Selenium 0.01

Check that the test results do not change more than 20% from the first time they were tested.

Parasites

The producer must continue to show the water is free of parasites.

Decide how often they should test for these, based on your risk assessment of the water.

Bacteria that cause disease

The producer should also continue to test the water to show that it’s free of the following bacteria, in the testing conditions set out.

Producer must show absence of these bacteria Testing conditions
Escherichia coli in 250ml at 37°C and 44.5°C
Other coliforms in 250ml at 37°C and 44.5°C
Faecal streptococci in 250ml at any temperature
Pseudomonas aeruginosa In 250ml at any temperature
Sporulated sulphite-reducing anaerobes in 50ml in any temperature

Decide how often they should test for these, based on your risk assessment of the water.

Total viable colony count

The producer must continue to test the total viable colony counts. This means the total number of bacteria picked up by a test.

The TVC should not exceed the following maximum limits.

Maximum limit Testing conditions
100 per millilitre Test at 20 to 22°C in 72 hours on agar-agar or agar-gelatine mixture
20 per millilitre Test at 37°C in 24 hours on agar-agar

The total colony count must be measured within 12 hours after bottling. The water must be kept at between - 1 °C and 4°C before it’s measured.

Check that the test results do not change more than 20% from the first time they were tested.

Decide how often they should test for these, based on your risk assessment of the water.

How to withdraw recognition

If you decide that a producer is no longer complying with the rules, you can withdraw recognition for the natural mineral water until the producer meets the rules again.

For example, you may want to withdraw recognition because:

  • the producer has stopped bottling and ceased trading
  • the producer has stopped monitoring the water and can no longer show they’re complying with the rules
  • there’s any other incident that means that the producer is not complying with the rules

You must tell Defra immediately if you’re withdrawing a recognition by emailing bottled.water@defra.gov.uk.

How the producer can appeal a withdrawal of recognition

A producer can appeal to Defra for a review of your decision to withdraw recognition.

Defra will review the case and will either:

  • confirm your local authority’s decision was correct
  • tell you to grant or restore recognition

If a producer asks for their recognition to be withdrawn

A producer can ask you to withdraw their recognition, for example, if they wish to stop producing natural mineral water.

You’ll need to confirm the derecognition in writing to them and tell Defra by emailing bottled.water@defra.gov.uk that their source is no longer recognised.

If the producer has stopped producing bottled natural mineral water but is continuing to monitor physio-chemicals levels to maintain recognition

You can decide to keep the recognition active but you must email Defra at bottled.water@defra.gov.uk, so they can update the list of recognised sources and display the listing as ‘No production at present’.

Before the producer can start bottling the natural mineral water again, their monitoring must show the water meets the rules set out for recognition.

The producer must tell you if:

  • there’s been any significant changes to the composition of the water
  • they’ve made any change to the trade description of the water

If the water has changed, you must decide whether either:

  • the producer can start to exploit the spring again immediately
  • you’ll derecognise the water temporarily but will grant recognition again after a further period of assessment

Tell Defra about other changes

You must notify Defra by emailing bottled.water@defra.gov.uk immediately if:

  • you reinstate recognition
  • there’s any change to the trade description of a natural mineral water
  • there’s a change to the name of a spring from which natural mineral water has been extracted

If a producer wants to use a natural mineral water source for spring water or bottled drinking water

If the water is recognised as a natural mineral water but the producer wants to change this and trade as spring or bottled drinking water instead, they’ll need to get approval from you first.

Read separate rules on what local authorities must do to approve:

You’ll also need to withdraw the natural mineral water recognition.

Updates to this page

Published 16 September 2020
Last updated 13 November 2020 + show all updates

  1. New guidance on testing the total viable colony count.

  2. First published.

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