Is Arrowhead bottled water really spring water?
Under federal regulations, the FDA defines spring water as water that “flows naturally to the surface of the earth.” The water may be collected at a spring or through a borehole tapping the underground source that feeds the spring Among other things, regulators may ask bottling plants to demonstrate that “an appropriate hydraulic connection exists between the natural orifice of the spring and the bore hole.” The regulations also include another specific requirement: water must keep flowing “to the surface through a natural orifice.” To investigate the matter, Desert Sun journalists spent a day visiting several of Nestle’s water sources on the mountainside, and there were no signs of any flowing water on the ground – just ferns, thorny bushes, granite boulders and dusty soil.
“There’s no spring naturally running,” Frye said, standing beside one of the company’s water-collection structures.
FDA reviewed the information and has now clarified for the Forest Service that FDA has no issue with the company’s continued labeling of the water as ‘spring water.’” The issue of whether water piped from the forest legally qualifies to be sold as “spring water” could turn into yet another challenge for Nestle as the company tries to keep its lucrative bottled water operation going in the national forest.
California regulators have also spent more than a year investigating whether Nestle holds valid water rights, and a separate trove of documents, released to The Desert Sun by the State Water Resources Control Board, shows the investigation is turning out to be complicated, with a great deal of back-and-forth between state officials and the company’s lawyers on its water rights claims.
Nestle Waters operates five bottling plants in California.
On its website, the company says Arrowhead bottled water comes from 13 “mountain spring sources in and West of the Rockies.” It lists the namesake Arrowhead Spring as a single site, calling it “our original spring source.” Investigating water rights Regulators at the State Water Resources Control Board began an investigation last year in response to complaints by several people, including Frye, who questioned whether Nestle actually holds valid water rights.
In response to a request by The Desert Sun under the California Public Records Act, the board recently released documents relating to its investigation, including emails, letters and other documents it received from Nestle.
Frye, however, has studied the historical documents in detail and thinks the company doesn’t have valid rights.
Reaching one of the water tunnels that was built in 1940s, Frye stood by its metal door.