a) The process of bottling mineral water is governed by the EC under the directive 80/777/EC. Tipperary Natural Mineral Water was the 1st Irish Bottled Water to achieve natural mineral water status under this directive.

b) The Irish Bottled Water standard IS 432 is awarded by the Irish governmental agency, the National Standards Authority of Ireland, to companies attaining a quality standard in product and packaging. Tipperary Natural Mineral Water was the 1st Irish Bottled Water to achieve this accolade.

c) The local State Health Agencies. Tipperary Water holds a merit award from the Mid-Western Health Board.

d) The European Point of Use Drinking Water Association (EPDWA). This association has specific quality codes of practice which we must conform to.

Our QA Department perform quality checks up to 3 times per day. The water is tested for its pH, conductivity, alkalinity, total hardness, temperature, taste, odour and turbidity. Each week the source is tested for levels of nitrates and nitrites. Once a month samples are sent to external laboratories to confirm our in-house testing. This is also a strict requirement of the N.S.A.I. The external laboratories test the water for a wide range of chemical parameters.

Natural mineral water occurs naturally in the environment and is the pinnacle of water quality. Bottled water can only be described as ‚Natural Mineral Water‛ once it has passed a stringent analysis carried out by the EU. Bottlers of natural mineral water cannot use chemical treatment or preservatives to enhance the taste or appearance of their product. Spring water may be treated by ozonation, UV light, and chlorination and tap water may contain chlorine and fluoride.

This is very difficult to estimate as the answer depends on lots of different variables such as: the number of people using the cooler, the positioning of the cooler, tastes and consumption habits, not to mention weather conditions! There are approximately 120, 7oz cups of water in a 19 litre bottle so by taking the aforementioned variables into account you may arrive at an estimated duration.

The water cooler industry standard on levels of consumption is as follows. Based on research conducted in the market, it has been identified that workplaces with an average of 15 employees, working in close proximity to the cooler, use on average 35 bottles per annum. Please note that this is just a benchmark. This figure could alter in response to the variables mentioned above.

A Tipperary Natural Mineral Water bottle undertakes approximately 50 trips to our customers during its lifetime. To enable us to keep track of our bottles and make sure that every empty bottle is returned to us, there is a €12.70 refundable deposit charge placed on all the bottles.

Here’s how it works:

• On your initial delivery you will pay a €12.70 refundable deposit per bottle delivered.
• If you return the same number of empty bottles on your subsequent delivery there will be no additional deposit charges on your invoice (2 delivered / 2 returned = 2 deposit charges / two deposit credits).
• If you return more empty bottles than you received, there will be a €12.70 credit for every extra empty bottle you returned.
• If you returned fewer empty bottles than you received, there will be an additional deposit charge for every extra full bottle you received.
• This system helps us to keep a track of our bottles and also helps us devise the delivery schedule that suits you best – in practice, our driver tries to perform an even swap, empty for full bottles, where possible.

When the bottles are collected they are brought back to our bottling plant in Borrisoleigh where they are subjected to a seven step sterilisation process. They undergo visual, ‚sniff test‛ and leak test inspections before they are approved for refilling. Then they are sterilised. This process involves the sterilisation of the bottles with a hot caustic solution both inside and outside, flushing with softened Tipperary Natural Mineral Water, further sterilisation with an ozonate solution and further flushing before the bottles are filled with Tipperary Natural Mineral Water, capped and tagged with batch number and date details. The bottles are held in storage for up to 4 days to allow for in-house laboratory testing and quality checks.

Grip the bottle handle and the opposing side of the bottle and pull it straight up. If there is still water in the bottle, do not worry. There is an in-built safety valve on the cap of each bottle that should prevent any water from escaping.

• It will dramatically reduce the amount of tea and coffee (most expensive commodities) that your staff will drink.
• This will simultaneously cut down on the time being spent in the canteen as the water cooler provides staff with a source of instant healthy refreshment at their fingertips.
• There is a direct relationship between levels of hydration and concentration and productivity. Research has shown that a 2% drop in hydration can lead to a 20% drop in performance.
• A water cooler is universally regarded by staff as a goodwill token from management, a reward for their productivity. It is in keeping with the image of a successful workplace.

• Free up fridge space.
• Help protect the environment – we collect & reuse your empty bottles.
• Free home delivery.
• Reduce your family’s intake of sugary soft drinks.
• Avoid having to carry bottled water from the supermarket.
• Achieve your recommended 8 glasses per day.

Your bottles of water should be stored in a clean environment away from direct sunlight and extremes of temperature. It is important not to position a water cooler in front of a window where it is exposed to direct sunlight.