Fresh from the mountain springs...

Fresh from the mountain springs...

Sudibyo M. Wiradji, Contributor, Jakarta

Unlike tap water providers, companies involved in the
lucrative bottled water business have no difficulty in finding
their source of water.

Most of the country's bottled water companies use mountain
springs as their source. However, it could take years to ensure
that a new mountain spring is capable of providing enough water
for mass production.

An intensive study conducted on mountain springs is required
before a company decides whether it can be used as a water
source. AQUA, for example, needs two years to evaluate the spring
to ensure the consistency of water quality and availability.

"Research evaluates such aspects as geology, physics, biology
and microbiology. The environment is also subject to evaluation
to ensure that it has not suffered any negative impact," said PT
AQUA Golden Mississippi president director Willy Sidharta.

PT Equil, the producer of natural mineral water, requires 10
years to study a spring in a recharge area in the protected
forest of Cimelati, Sukabumi, West Java. "We have to make sure
whether the water is really free from pathogenic bacteria and it
is safe to drink," Irwan Siswandi of Equil said.

Water sourced from mountain springs is naturally protected
against contamination from microbes, organic compounds and
molecules, such as pesticides.

Bottled water production should meet the minimum standard
requirements established by Standards National Indonesia (SNI).
In terms of water resources, springs and artesian wells are both
allowable as long as the processed water is in compliance with
set standards.

"Even though bottled water sourced from mountain springs and
pumped wells is hygienic after it is processed, there's a
difference in terms of freshness. Bottled water from springs is
fresher," said a staff member from PT Tangmas, which also uses
mountain springs as its source for 2 Tang bottled water.

The bottled water business began in the 1970s with only
several companies. To date, over 270 companies are in operation.
Sales of bottled water reaches 12 billion liters. Bottled water
is also exported with foreign exchange earnings of Rp 5.05
trillion (US$561 million) in 2002.

The increasing demand for bottled water has led to the
mushrooming of water refilling stations in the country. The
refilling stations have provided consumers with an alternative to
buying drinking water from stores, and is sold at a cheaper
price. One gallon costs only Rp 2,500 compared to Rp 7,500 for
one gallon of AQUA water.

However, what concerns consumers the most is whether the water
purchased from the refilling station is hygienic and safe to
drink. Based on tests conducted by the City Health and Laboratory
Agency and Sucofindo, water from refilling stations is good.

"As can be seen from its chemical composition, the water is
sourced from mountain springs with a good mineral content," the
City Health and Laboratory Agency's head, Untung Nuriman, told
PikNet.

The process of producing bottled water is not as simple as
most people would think. The water goes through a disinfecting
process known as ozonization. It also goes through filtering and
an ultraviolet process.

"AQUA water becomes fresher with more oxygen for six hours
after the ozonization process, during which time the ozone
molecules turn into oxygen, or O2," Willy said.

To ensure that the water is hygienic and safe to drink,
regular laboratory tests and control measures are conducted
during each step in the production process. Chemical and physical
laboratory tests are conducted on an hourly basis and a
microbiological test is done ever seven hours, he added.

To maximize water quality, AQUA uses the most integrated
technology throughout the production process from taking it from
the source through to the bottling stage. "We implement an
advanced production system that gives AQUA complete information
on when each bottle was produced. As well, each AQUA bottling
plant keeps a minimum of two samples from each production run for
at least two years, even though the expiry date of the product is
less than that," he said.

PT Equil Indonesia, the producer of natural mineral water,
also uses modern technology in producing bottled water.

"The technology enables the unprocessed water, which is
directly bottled at the water spring site, to be free from
contamination and that it is safe to drink," said Irwan.

Equil boasts that it uses bottles with a higher level of
density. "With this kind of bottle, the water will not have an
odor despite it being exposed to the sun," he added.

He said that bottled natural mineral water is first kept in a
quarantine room, or bio-cleaning room, for laboratory testing for
five days. "The sample is tested and released only when it is
really free from pathogenic bacteria," he said.