Bottled Water

Erkens Water Softener Service has been in the business of softening and purifying water since 1975. In 2003 we answered our customer call for bottled water. At that time we started Erkens Bottled water requests.

Erkens Water is free of impurities, like sodium, lead and chlorine, so it's a healthy choice for the entire family - kids tend to drink less soda and sugary drinks, and the whole family will drink more water. Plus, doctors recommend at least eight glasses a day for dieting, exercising and a healthier lifestyle.

Erkens Water is produced at our plant in Cold Spring. Our bottling facility has been approved by the MN Department of Agriculture and is inspected annually. We only use a state-approved water source for our bottled water.

If you currently own or rent a water cooler from another company, Erkens Bottled Water containers are universal and will fit most other make and model water coolers. Call for details.

Erkens Water coolers are available for rental or purchase. The coolers have replaceable parts and carry an 18 month warranty on the whole system and a 5 year warranty on the cooling system.

Erkens Bottled Water Process

Erkens Process to ensure

1. The water is softened to remove hardness and iron.
2. Water is passed through a fine mesh carbon filter to remove chlorine.
3. The water is filtered a second time through a 5 micron filter.
4. Reverse osmosis filtration is used to filter the water a third time. This is a security system for your water. The reverse osmosis system reduces contaminants as small as an atom!
5. A bubble ozone system is used to kill any remaining bacteria in the water just before it is sealed in a sanitized bottle to maintain purity and freshness. Before each batch of water is bottled we test for bacteria to ensure 99.99% pure water.

Bottle preparation

Each bottle is inspected by sight and smell for foul odor and excess dirt before any bottle enters our bottling machine. The bottling machine first washes each bottle inside and out. Then the bottle enters a sanitizing chamber and the last stop is the filling and capping chamber. The bottle then is capped and exits the machine. The bottled water is now ready for delivery.

Erkens Bottled Water meets or exceeds all federal and state health standards.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) regulates bottled water as a food product, whereas the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates tap water provided by water utilities. The MDA Standards of Quality (SOQs) for bottled water must be as protective of public health as EPAs standards (known as Maximum contaminant Levels.

To Drink Bottled Water Or Not?
 

U.S. FDA "Standards of Identity" for Bottled Water
Following information from fda.gov

The FDA has established "Standards of Identity" for bottled water products sold in the U.S. Note that other countries have different definitions and standards; some countries have no consistent labeling requirements. Some of the more common U.S. types of bottled water are listed below, Erkens Water produces purified water.

Purified water - This type of water has been produced by distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis, or other suitable processes. Purified water may also be referred to as "demineralized water." It meets the definition of "purified water" in the United States Pharmacopoeia.

Artesian Water - This type of water that originates from a confined aquifer that has been tapped. The distinguishing feature of water from an artesian aquifer is that it flows from the tap due to gravity; the subterranean water level is at a height greater than that of the location of the tap.

Ground Water - This type of water is from an underground source that is under a pressure equal to or greater than atmospheric pressure.

Mineral Water - This type of water contains at least 250 parts per million total dissolved solids (TDS). It comes from a source tapped at one or more bore holes or springs, and originates from a geologically and physically protected underground water source. No minerals may be added to this water.

Spring Water - This type of water comes from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the Earth's surface.

Well Water - This type of water is taken from a well.