The Need for Certification - The Australian Bottled Water Institute (ABWI) Bottled Water Certification program

15 May, 2008

Bottled water is the fastest growing beverage worldwide, but how do consumers know that the bottled water they purchase is exactly what it promises to be?

The Australian Food Standards provide some safeguards, however recognizing the importance and value of this fast growing beverage has led a group of Australian bottlers to seek more rigorous quality and safety controls and certifications of excellence.

These quality controls are provided by the Australasian Bottled Water Institute (ABWI).ABWI is a not for profit organization established to ensure that Australian bottled water meets the highest international standards. The Australian Bottled Water Institute’s Model Code and auditors are approved by the International Council of Bottled Water Associations (ICBWA).

In Australia, the Government does not require bottled water sources and extraction mechanisms to be audited, but this is now being undertaken by ABWI for its water bottling members. This is done to ensure that the water source is protected and also that the proper sanitary extraction methods are in place.

The Australasian Bottled Water Institute therefore ensures that Australian waters can hold their own against the better known international brands. ABWI guarantees the highest quality controls for this type of beverage, since its standards are in many cases stricter than those set by the Australian and New Zealand food authorities.

Therefore through the use of ABWI logos, national water bottlers can ensure their consumers are purchasing products bottled by manufacturers that have attained and also maintain the highest levels of safety & quality.

Tony Gentile, executive director of the Australasian Bottled Water Institute states, “We all recognise that a high quality of water supply is essential to health and vitality”.

“Even though Australians are fortunate to generally enjoy a safe public water supply, it is a recognized fact that bottled water provides a safe and pleasurable alternative when away from the home. In Australia, bottled water is primarily sourced from underground aquifers” adds Tony Gentile.

The ABWI Certification Program requires a bottler to undertake extensive additional testing of the water, both at the source and after bottling, as well as a third-party annual independent audit. The water source is audited to ensure that consumers purchase exactly what they are promised to obtain on the label.

Only certified Australian Bottled Water Institute bottlers are entitled to display the ‘ABWI Certified Bottler’ logo on their label.

All certified bottled water companies are granted the ABWI logo to use on their labels, which is shown below: The ABWI Model Code can be viewed and downloaded on the web at:www.bottledwater.org.au.