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Bottled Water Program


General Information

All persons intending to sell bulk or bottled water in Nevada must obtain a permit from the Division of Public and Behavioral Health, Environmental Health Section. Water sources originating or being bottled in Nevada requires a State permit. Water sources originating or being bottled from outside of Nevada must also receive an out of state permit. This is to verify that the bottled water is from an approved source which is properly protected, labeled, tested for contaminants and inspected to verify that it is bottled in a sanitary manner.

    The Bottled Water Program is designed to protect and promote the health and safety of the people of Nevada by ensuring that water bottlers adhere to quality, standards of identity, and manufacturing practice standards set by the Food and Drug Administration and Nevada Administrative Code 445A.

      Defining "Bottled Water"

      Under FDA labeling rules, bottled water includes products labeled:

      • Bottled Water
      • Drinking Water
      • Artesian Water
      • Mineral Water
      • Sparkling Water
      • Purified Water
        • Distilled
        • Demineralized
        • Deionized
        • Reverse Osmosis Water
      • Waters with added carbonation, soda water (or club soda), tonic water and seltzer historically are regulated by FDA as soft drinks.

      Flavored Water and Nutrient-Added Water Beverages

      New types of flavored and/or nutrient-added water beverages have begun to appear in stores and on food service menus. Some are simply bottled water with flavoring, others may also contain added nutrients such as vitamins, electrolytes like sodium and potassium, and amino acids. The bottled water ingredients of these flavored and nutrient-added water beverages must meet the bottled water requirements if the term "water" is highlighted on the label as in, for example, a product named Berry Flavored Spring Water Beverage. In addition, the flavorings and nutrients added to these beverages must comply with all applicable FDA safety requirements and they must be identified in the ingredient list on the label.

        Regulatory Standards

        • Quality Standards: include the annual chemical analysis to determine what, if any, contaminates are in the water.
        • Good Manufacturing Practices: govern such areas as plant and ground maintenance, sanitary maintenance of the building, fixtures and plumbing.
        • Standards of Identity: (Labeling Regulations) established standard definitions of terms found on bottled water labels.

        Bottled water is defined as intended for human consumption, sealed in bottles or other containers, and has no added ingredients, except that it may contain safe and suitable antimicrobial agents.

          Applying for an out-of-state bottled water permit

          Whenever possible please submit your application by using the CLICs system. Nevada will accept an initial application online. Using CLICs streamlines the process and the timeline for all as well as helps us in our effort to reduce paper usage.
          Be prepared to submit the following documentation for new permits:

          • Supplemental Application for a Bottled Water Distributor
          • Current copy of local permit
          • Inspection/Audit report, inspection reports from local jurisdictions (e.g. local health department) are acceptable
          • Product list for Nevada
          • Copies of most recent chemical analysis for source and finished product
          • Copies of 3 most recent bacteriological/microbiological test results
          • Source water quality report
          • Supplemental Label Review Application
          • Copies of Labels showing where the Nevada credential number will be printed

          Renewal Bottled Water Permits

          Renewals should also use the CLICs systems when possible.  Be sure to have the following documentation available to attach to your renewal application:

          • Current copy of local permit
          • Inspection/Audit report
          • Product list for Nevada
          • Copies of most recent chemical analysis for source and finished product
          • Copies of 3 most recent bacteriological/microbiological test results
          • New labels, if any

           

           

            Contact Us

            Bottled Water Program
            725 Avenue K
            Ely, Nevada 89315
            Phone: (775) 895-3602

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