August 21, 2017
Nestle’s Poland Spring water is facing a lawsuit that claims the bottled water does not come from Maine's natural springs but is actually common groundwater that has been purified.
Since its start in 1845, Poland Spring has always maintained that its water is 100 percent sourced from natural springs. Today it cites eight different springs in Maine that allegedly undergo FDA and EPA regulation, verified daily, and are then further verified with hydrogeological reporting by “third-party experts.”
According to the lawsuit’s plaintiffs, led by Mark Patane, Poland Spring is charging premium prices for what is actually common groundwater. The suit alleges that the company’s water is actually pumped from populated areas in Maine.
If this is the case, Poland Spring water does not meet FDA standards of what is considered natural spring water, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The suit further claims that at least one or more of the company’s groundwater collection sites are close to a former refuse pit, landfill or petroleum dump site.
If you’re freaking out about having consumed Poland Spring water, don’t worry: The company still disinfects and purifies its water regardless of where it’s actually coming from. The case for the lawsuit, however, says that marketing Poland Spring as 100 percent from natural springs is misleading and calls for consumers to pay for a different product than they’re being sold.
“The claims made in the lawsuit are without merit and an obvious attempt to manipulate the legal system for personal gain,” Nestle Waters said in a statement.
“Poland Spring is 100% spring water. It meets the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations defining spring water, all state regulations governing spring classification for standards of identity, as well as all federal and state regulations governing spring water collection, good manufacturing practices, product quality and labeling. We remain highly confident in our legal position.”
