Office of Public Sector Information

Regulations 4(2)(b), 5(1)(c) and (2), 7(3), 9(2)(b), 10(1)(b) and (3) and 16(1)(a)(iv) and paragraph 1(b) of Schedule 1 and paragraph 4(b)(iii) of Part 2 of Schedule 3

SCHEDULE 4 Exploitation and bottling requirements for natural mineral water and spring water

1.  Equipment for exploiting the water must be so installed as to avoid any possibility of contamination and to preserve the properties corresponding to those ascribed to it which the water possesses at source.

2.  The spring or outlet must be protected against the risks of pollution.

3.  The catchment, pipes and reservoirs must be of materials suitable for water and so built as to prevent any chemical, physico-chemical or microbiological alteration of the water.

4.  The conditions of exploitation, particularly at the washing and bottling plant, must meet hygiene requirements. In particular, the containers must be so treated or manufactured as to avoid adverse effects on the microbiological and chemical characteristics of the natural water.

5.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3), water must not be transported in containers other than those authorised for distribution to the ultimate consumer.

(2) Natural mineral water may be transported from the spring to the bottling plant in a container which is not for distribution to the ultimate consumer if on or before 17 July 1980 water from that spring was so transported.

(3) Water distributed to the ultimate consumer in a bottle marked or labelled with the description “spring water” may be transported from the spring to the bottling plant in a container which is not for distribution to the ultimate consumer if on or before 23 November 1996 water from that spring was so transported.

6.—(1) The revivable total colony count of the water at source, determined according to sub-paragraph (2), must conform to the normal viable colony count of that water and not show that the source of that water is contaminated.

(2) The colony count is that determined per ml of water—

(a) at 20 to 22 °C in 72 hours on agar-agar or an agar-gelatine mixture; and

(b) at 37 °C in 24 hours on agar-agar.

7.—(1) After bottling, the total colony count of the water at source may not exceed—

(a) 100 per ml at 20 to 22 °C in 72 hours on agar-agar or an agar-gelatine mixture; and

(b) 20 per ml at 37 °C in 24 hours on agar-agar.

(2) The total colony count must be measured within the period of 12 hours following bottling, the water being maintained at 4 °C +/−1 °C during the period before which it is measured.

8.  Water must be free from—

(a) Parasites and pathogenic micro-organisms;

(b) Escherichia coli and other coliforms and faecal streptococci in any 250 ml sample examined;

(c) Sporulated sulphite-reducing anaerobes in any 50 ml sample examined; and

(d) Pseudomonas aeruginosa in any 250 ml sample examined.

Regulation 4(9) and paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 3

SCHEDULE 5 Particulars of anions, cations, non-ionised compounds and trace elements