EBWA
tel: +49 (0) 211 680 16 36

“The mission of the European Bottled Watercooler Association is to ensure that the consumer is provided with bottled water products served from watercoolers that are of the highest standards of quality both in product and service.”

The European Bottled Watercooler Industry has much to celebrate. In only a few years, the industry has become established as one of the fastest growing and best-regulated service sector industries in Europe. Most companies involved in this market have experienced a period of consistent growth and have become serious players reaching beyond their immediate local markets.

EBWA has a fully serviced secretariat based in Brussels. The staff of the EBWA office provide members with secretarial and administrative support, and keep members fully informed of all legislative issues relating to the watercooler industry through the various information libraries and resource documentation.

According to the Articles of Association, EBWA is a non-profit making and non-governmental international organisation whose principal aims are:

• To serve as the authoritative source for all information concerning the watercooler industry and its use of all denominations of bottled water
• To facilitate the exchange of technical, scientific and regulatory information
• To define, promote and maintain the highest standards of quality and hygiene in the Industry through self-regulatory instruments including an EBWA Code of Good Hygienic Practice
• To promote ethical, professional and legal practices in the Industry
• To work with national and European government agencies and regulatory bodies whose regulations and standards affect the Industry
• To co-operate and discuss areas of mutual interest with other industries, organisations and associations.

BWCA
tel: +44 (0) 1923 825355

“The BWCA’s mission is to ensure that its members offer the highest standards of quality, safety and hygiene to the consumer together with an unimpeachable product and service.”

Established in 1989 to represent the interests of the bottled water cooler industry in the UK, a recent change of name from The Bottled Water Cooler Association to the BRITISH Water Cooler Association reflects the extended remit of the Association to encompass plumbed-in (POU - point-of-use) water coolers. The BWCA facilitates the exchange of technical, scientific and regulatory information between Industry members and related bodies and serves as the authoritative source of information (other than statistical) concerning the bottled water cooler industry. For continued membership and accreditation, members must adhere to strict Bylaws, Codes of Practice and the Code of Advertising and Conduct and are audited for compliance annually by 3rd party inspection organisations. The BWCA has close and ongoing relationships with key national and local government departments and agencies including the FSA, the Environment Agency, Trading Standards and Environmental Health Departments. At a European level, the BWCA is a member of the European Bottled Watercooler Association (EBWA). The BWCA takes a key executive role in the activities of EBWA which represents the interests of several hundred companies in the water cooler industry throughout Western and Eastern Europe in relation to EU directives and regulations.

BWCA offers codes of practice for Bottled Water & Bottled Water Coolers and Plumbed-in (POU) Water Coolers.

Code of Practice - Bottled Water and Bottled Water Coolers

In keeping with the Mission Statement of the Association the Code of Practice is intended to ensure the attainment of the highest standards of quality, safety and hygiene in the water cooler industry.

Bottled water is defined by legislation as a food product and must therefore be treated as such at each stage from its abstraction at the source, to bottling, storage, delivery to the customer and dispensing from the water cooler into the cup.

BWCA Members must adhere and be bound by the requirement of the Code of Practice for continued membership. The Association’s 3rd party annual audit and inspection programmes are designed to prove conformity with these requirements.

The Code of Practice encompasses:

• General Health, Hygiene & Safety
• Water Cooler Location and Siting at Customers Premises
• Delivery to and Storage of Consumables at Customer Premises
• Water Cooler Sanitary Maintenance and Sanitisation
• Water Cooler Construction Standards
• Water Cooler Electrical & Mechanical Maintenance
• Source, Bottling and Storage of Bottled Water
• Bottled Water & Cooler Distribution Depots & Storage Facilities
• Drinking Cups
• Regulations Codes & Standards
• Crisis Prevention, Protection and Management
• Inspections & Audits
• Professional Training & Education
• Environmental Management

Code of Practice - Plumbed-in (POU) Water Coolers

In keeping with the Mission Statement of the Association the Code of Practice is intended to ensure the attainment of the highest standards of quality, safety and hygiene in the plumbed-in (POU) cooler industry.

It is essential that connection of plumbed-in coolers is only made to a wholesome mains water supply as defined by EU Standard 98/83/EC - Quality of Water Intended for Human Consumption, The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989 and Amendments and The Private Water Supplies Regulations 1991 and plumbed/installed in full compliance of the requirements of The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999.

EPDWA
tel: +44 (0) 118 9712298

The EPDWA was formed “to promote, develop and maintain the highest standards of hygiene, safety and ethics within the European Point-Of-Use Drinking Water industry to the benefit of customers. This is achieved by providing our members with information, support and training and representing their interests at local, national and European levels.”

Fast track to this kind of support will help your business grow and keep in touch with regulatory developments as they occur.

What are the objectives of the association?

• To assist Members of the Association (“Members”) in maintaining the highest standards of quality and hygiene
• To promote the adherence of Members to ethical, professional and legal practices
• To recruit organisations from within the European Point of Use Drinking Water Industry (‘-the Industry) as Members adhering to the standards and pursuing the objectives of the Association
• To facilitate the exchange of technical, scientific and regulatory information between Industry members and related bodies
• To serve as the authoritative source for all information concerning the Industry in the Territory
• To work with Government Agencies and regulatory bodies whose regulations and standards affect the Industry
• To cooperate and discuss areas of mutual interest with other industries, organisations and associations.