Obtaining a License to Bottle Water
There has been an increased interest in water bottling. The Idaho Food Code (Regulations for Food Establishments) requires that all water bottlers be licensed.
- Complete an Food License Application
- Submit plans and specifications for the building and the water system.
- Submit examples of labels.
- Submit a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan. This is a plan where you write each step of the bottling operation from beginning to end and identify points at which contamination could occur, and how you will control and/or prevent the contamination.
- Prior to receiving your license, you will be required to sample the water for inorganic compounds (IOC), volatile organic compounds (VOC), synthetic organic compounds (SOC), radiological contaminants, bacteria, nitrate and nitrite. You will want to be sure of your intentions at this point because this sampling will cost in the vicinity of $1,500.00 - $2,000.00.
Your EHS will schedule a time with you to inspect the water source and system to see if it will comply with the public drinking water regulations. This will serve to give you an idea of what changes you need to make to your source to comply with the rules.
When your bottling facility is completed you need to contact your EHS for a pre-opening inspection. Be sure you give the EHS two weeks notice so they can schedule this inspection before opening. It is illegal to begin bottling without a license. During this inspection the EHS will inspect the entire facility, if everything is to code, then your license will be issued.