Abstraction of groundwater does not generally require authorisation and groundwater abstracted for bottled water production is not monitored by local authorities or by the Department to determine its quality or to control abstraction volumes.
The European Union (Natural Mineral Waters, Spring Waters and other Waters in Bottles or Containers) Regulations 2016 (S.I. No. 282 of 2016) places a responsibility on the producers of bottled water to ensure the source is protected and sets the quality and the treatment standards for the final product. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland is the competent authority for enforcement of these Regulations.
The EPA has compiled a database of known water abstractions as part of the development of the draft River Basin Management Plan for Ireland 2018-2021. The database identifies twenty one bottled water plants across Ireland with production volumes ranging between 106 cubic meters per day at the largest plant to just 41 litres per day at the smallest plant. However, these amounts relate to the volume of the final product produced and do not take into account any water abstracted which might be used as part of the production process.
Note: List of (2) natural mineral waters recognised by Ireland
(In accordance with Article 1 of Directive 2009/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2009 on the exploitation and marketing of natural mineral waters)
Glenpatrick Spring
Powerstown, Clonmel,
Co. Tipperary
Ballygowan
Newcastle west,
Co. Limerick
Guidelines for the frequency of routine official control sampling and analysis of bottled water
As required by Council Directive 98/83/EC (as amended by Commission Directive (EU) 2015/1787), the frequency of routine official control sampling and analysis should be based on risk. As a minimum, one partial and one full monitoring sample should be taken per year. The frequency should be reviewed annually and revised (either reduced or increased) based on risk, taking into account factors such as:
• Confidence in management
• Borehole construction
• Age of borehole
• Protection of the source
• History of sample results
• Change in land use
• Suspicion of, or known, pollution events
• Change of activities in the local area
• Changes to extraction rates.
Spring Water
Directive 2009/54/EC does not specify minimum frequencies for the sampling and analysis of spring water by the official agency. The frequencies should be based on risk and can be adjusted accordingly when statistical trends on the microbiological qualities are established. In order to establish a profile of the microbiological composition of the water during production, it is suggested that samples should be taken at various locations, e.g. at source, during marketing and at the point of bottling.
Other Water
The HSE Environmental Health Service is the responsible authority for the enforcement of all food legislation in ‘other water’ establishments. Unlike natural mineral water, there is no legal requirement for recognition of ‘other water’. The provisions of Council Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water (sold in bottles or containers) intended for human consumption apply to ‘other water’. ‘Other water’ means drinking water which is bottled and is neither described as spring water or a recognised natural mineral water. ‘Other water’ can come from a variety of sources, e.g. groundwater and public water supplies.
Guidance for the assessment of compliance of legislation applicable to natural mineral waters, spring waters and other water (Revision 1) (2019)
Sample enforcement action (bottled water)
Reason: The detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in exceedance of the parametric value.
Company:
Celtic Pure Unlimited,
Corcreagh,
Shercock Po,
Co. Monaghan
Products Recalled:
Enforcement Notice
Celtic Pure: Recall of Branded Bottled Waters Due to Elevated Levels of Arsenic
https://www.fsai.ie/news_centre/food_alerts/bottled_water_recall.html
AIE 20/4/22
The European Union (Natural Mineral Waters, Spring Waters and other Waters in Bottles or Containers) Regulations 2016 (S.I. No. 282 of 2016) places a responsibility on the producers of bottled water to ensure the source is protected and sets the quality and the treatment standards for the final product. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland is the competent authority for enforcement of these Regulations. The EPA identifies twenty one bottled water plants across Ireland
Under the AIE Regs to request
1) List of bottled water plants, with their names and locations that fall within the FSAI regime, for natural mineral water, spring water and ‘other’ water
2) Summary report on the microbiological safety of bottled water for 2021
3) Copy of the inspection report / enforcement letter for each bottled water plant where exceedances were detected in 2020, 2021 and 2022
4) Details of any referral to competent authorities in other countries of origin where samples in Ireland tested unsatisfactory