Great Britain: Firm launches bottled water - from the same source as taps

The Evening Standard (U.K.) ^ | August 23, 2008

[Stoat]

Firm launches bottled water - from the same source as taps

Last updated at 23:20pm on 23.08.08

 

Cambridge Water's new product comes from the same aquifer as its tap supply

For years, utility companies have told us that we are wasting our money buying mineral water.

But now a firm which makes millions from selling tap water has started marketing bottled mineral water – from the same underground source.

The parent company of Cambridge Water has invested £10million in a bottling plant above a chalk aquifer.

The new company, Iceni Waters, has already struck deals with stores including Tesco, Morrisons and the Co-op. It aims to lift capacity from an initial 15million to 60million litres a year.

Iceni, named after the East Anglian tribe ruled by the warrior queen Boudicca (Boadicea) in 60AD, is owned by Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings, part of a group, controlled by Li Ka Shing, 78, Asia’s richest man.

His UK portfolio includes mobile phone firm Orange and cut-price chemist Superdrug.

Iceni aims to be in the UK’s top ten bottled water brands by 2010. Its product is pumped from an underground borehole at Duxford, into a purpose-built plant that uses recyclable plastic bottles.

Cambridge Water, which made a net profit of £5.62million last year, has been criticised by consumer watchdogs over plans to increase average bills by 20 per cent above the inflation rate between 2010 and 2015.

The company blames the proposed price increases on higher energy costs and an improvement programme.

Iceni managing director Brett Fleming-Jones said: ‘Our mineral water does come from the same chalk aquifer as the tap water sold by Cambridge Water.

‘But the tap water has to travel through old Victorian pipes and is often mixed with river water and water from underground reservoirs, so it needs to be treated in various ways to conform with the required high standard.

‘Whether people view bottled water and tap water as identical or not is a moot point.’

[Stoat]

Iceni - English Natural Mineral Water

 

 

ICENI: Pure Still English Natural Mineral Water

English Natural Mineral Water

Iceni is a new English natural mineral water. Filtered through deep chalk strata it is naturally purified, high in calcium and low in sodium with a clean, refreshing taste.

Iceni Water, is named after the famous East Anglian tribe ruled by Boudicca in 60AD.

This young water is drawn from a continuously replenished aquifier in the heart of our country - so it doesn’t need to travel too far to reach you.

Available in 330ml, 500ml, 750ml and 1.5l 100% recyclable plastic bottles, Iceni will be available nationally in supermarkets and retailers from mid March 2008.

Purely English and naturally good for you.

[Stoat]

‘Whether people view bottled water and tap water as identical or not is a moot point.’

 

P.T. Barnum

PT Barnum, The Shakespeare of Advertising

Barnum was the self-titled "Prince of Humbugs." He was masterful at putting on (as he calls them) "glittering appearances and novel expedients" to attract the public's attention. There are small but crucial differences between hoax, humbug, and out-and-out fraud, and Barnum tread dangerously close to transgressing at times. Still, Barnum was in the business of entertainment, and he always managed to deliver entertainment value to his customers. Even those who were tricked had to admit they had a good time in the process, and that it was worth the money they had paid.

There's a sucker born every minute - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[litehaus]

"PT Barnum, The Shakespeare of Advertising"

,

Patron Saint Of Democrats ??? (Or at least those who still have religion)

[joma89]

I only buy bottled water as an emergency backup and then, it is more for the container than the water. I never understood why folks buy bottled water unless it is distilled.

JoMa

[ryan71]

Just do what half of us Americans do, add cool-aid to it.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

I'm drinking bottled water right now. But I bottle it myself. I am the operator of a water company. The EPA makes us chlorinate our water. Luckily for me, I can go to the plant, turn on a well, and use a raw water tap to fill my jugs. It's so much better than the treated water!
Before the EPA stepped in and mandated treatment, the Ohio Department of Health told us our water was “pure, required no treatment, and was some of the best water in the state,” We had customer complaints for years after we were required to add chlorine!
So,,, what I'm getting at, is that the water that comes out of the taps is not the same water that comes out of the aquifer. So if the company is not treating the bottled water, or if it is treating it in a different manner, there could be quite a difference.

[KarlInOhio]

The tiny print on the label of the 5-gallon bottles on my company’s water cooler states that they are from the municipal water supply from the town I grew up in. I know they must filter it a lot before bottling it because it doesn’t look like slightly moistened limestone slurry and leave stalactites and stalagmites around the faucet. Yeah, the water was just a wee bit hard at home.

[pepsionice]

The only water that I ever felt was a different taste than tap water....would be those that bottle the water from mountain spring or glacier water. A good example would be the British “Highland Spring” water or the French “Evian”. After that point, its a waste of money, I agree. I do find myself drinking more water these days...rather than sodas....because I have a water bottle around with me....and maybe thats a good thing.

[Gondring]

I only buy bottled water as an emergency backup and then, it is more for the container than the water. I never understood why folks buy bottled water unless it is distilled.

Because the water supplies have been trashed so much that getting good tap water is difficult these days. I mourn the loss of the glacial aquifer where my family was for centuries.

...but watch what you say... Try to imply that groundwater mining (using it faster than it's being replaced) and the resulting aquifer degradation is a bad thing, and you'll get flamed around here.

"Conserve" doesn't seem to be in the word "conservative" for some FReepers.

[Gondring]

I hope that your aquifer is well protected (being in Ohio, you likely have a good glacial till aqitard, but depends on where you are, and even that can't protect against lateral migration toward your pumping centers).

Too many good aquifers are being destroyed...I fear that a few decades from now, Americans won't know the taste of good, clean natural water, much like we don't know the taste of a banana of yesteryear (that species went extinct, and now we eat a lesser one).

[Gondring]

EVIAN
EVIA --> N
EVI  --> NA
EV   --> NAI
E    --> NAIV
     --> NAIVE

;-)

Note that Dasani is tap water.

And "Spring Water" is just groundwater that is coming out at the surface.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

We’re halfway between Cleveland and Akron, and on the edge of the Cuyahoga Valley. We are surrounded by the Cleveland system which, of course, gets it’s water from Lake Erie. Akron also uses surface water, but also does have some wells. Our wells are 240-280 feet deep. Good stuff!

[LooneyTick]

I'm looking at a bottle of Daytona Beach Bottled Water, it comes from the municipal source, it is ozonated and contains fluoride. I didn't buy it it was a gift I kept for the sentimental value. My water comes from a well with a Chem-Free iron filter and nothing else. I have the best water around and use non-disposable means to carry it with me. What a sham and a scam.

[festus]

Stoat you’re one we can count on for great finds.

Hillarious

[Stoat]

Thank you for your kind words :-)

[tet68]

P.T. was quite the man, he used to have a man outside his museum who would take a brick from one corner of the street,cross the street, put it in a stack, take another brick ,cross the street again, put it in a stack, then take another brick across the street and go into his museum.
The crowds would follow him in just to see what was going on.

The crowd got so thick at times he finally had to have a sign made.....”This way to Egress!” and people thinking it
was another exhibit, soon found themselves out on the street.