Bottled Water Business under Fssai

As you may/may not be aware, that the Packaged Drinking Water & the Natural Mineral Water don't carry the "Mandatory BIS" tag, and now just need 1 License : the Fssai. We also have a special article on this. 

Last October, 2024 this became a Gazetter notification, then in November, Fssai declared Water as a High Risk commodity. Now, after almost 10 months past the same, how the Bottled Water business is viewing its future ?

Major compliances & changes 

• The declaration under High-Risk makes the quality checks very stringent.
• There are very heavy penalties for non-compliance.
• There is currently no special lab needed as was needed under the BIS. 
• 2 Lab reports needed to be submitted every 6 months
• 1 Annual Audit will be compulsory. Its with certain quality checks.
• Pre establishment plant inspection is mandatory ( as was in the BIS )
• CGWA NOC is going to be mandatory for every plant. 

Effects 

Entering this business is easier ( Just Rs.7500 annual fee instead of Rs. 1,00,000 + for BIS

The compulsion ( at present ) of having a lab has gone. This brings the Capex down. And opex as well.

Heavy Penalties threaten the plant owner about strict compliances.

Non-regulated earlier ( The Water Vending / ATM ) businesses have a chance to get regularized.

The water-borne diseases due to these unregistered vending stations, will be expected to come down as they can get an Fssai license & will be subject to the Lab reports necessary.

Overall it looks a little challenging to the plant owners, who enjoyed marketing-less freedom till this time. They will need to equip themselves with latest trends to sustain in the market.

You can alse watch a Youtube Short on this subject.

Water ATM water will also be very safe henceforth

Fssai, the Food Business Regulator in India, has posted a draft regulation ( as per FNB News ) that water produced through Water Vending Machines will be subject to tests as per Fssai guidelines. 

Draft Requirements for Standards

• Physical Parameters: 6

• General Parameters: 24

• Toxic Substances: 11 parameters

• Radioactive Residues: 3 parameters

• Microbiological Requirements: 2 parameters

• Pesticide Residues: 18 parameters

We are waiting for the final news to roll-out. When it's there, you can have it. It's still not known, as to :-

• Where will these be tested ? In-house at the ATM, or outside lab
• How frequently the tests need to be in place.
• Who will be the inspecting authority 

Usually under Fssai, if its not under "High Risk", it calls for annual audits. 

This is a different category to be rolled out soon, under 2.10.9 ( At present it ends at 2.10.8. It's interesting to see how this Vending Machine ( Water ATM Water ) will be categorized as :-

FSSAI explains that “water vending machine” means decentralised water purification systems that purify and dispense water and does not include installation intended for use of water for captive consumption. ( FNB News )

Usually Water ATM water uses either municipal water or whatever supplied to it. Although there is an in-built ( usually ) RO system, there as no norm present to check the outlet water. Now it might be in-place.

Good News for consumers

Consumers will have a better trust in drinking water from such a system and if it's implemented well by the govt, this can be an excellent tool to beat plastic pollution. 

What is a Water Vending Machine/ATM ? 

This is a machine which filters water, and dispenses through a tap, in predetermined, mesured quantity into any container placed below. They can be card/coin driven. Water ATM is a very good Business Model.

Water ATMs : Again......

"Chennai getting 50 Water ATMs soon" 

"Ayodhya gets its 1st water ATM"

Seems great news. The projects are truly good, but news is not. Why ? Because it's Govt run-Govt Funded project. The experience so far with Govt funded-run-maintained Water ATMs are no good at all. The reason being it serves the "News" purpose, and funded by you and me.

• The project is noble.
• Money is sanctioned.
• Tenders are floated.
• Agencies are finalised.
• The service part is also in the contract.
• But who inspects ? Don't know.
• Result : Majority of them remain defunct.

Solution ?

Ask Coca Cola to stop Bottled Water and produce Water ATMs. Will it do that ? Never. In fact, Water ATM should be a national level priority. To

• Save Groundwater
• No Plastic

But no-one will come forward. Only a handful of business owners have seen this great opportunity. Yes, Water ATM it is an opportunity. 

Want to increase Profit ? Simple 2 Ideas ..

All we know that Profit is :-

Revenue minus Expenditure

To increase profit:-

• Increase Revenue and / or 
• Reduce Expenditure

What's easy ? : The second : Reduce Expenditure

If you are already running a Water Plant, here are quick 2 ways of investing which will get you massive profits :-

1. Invest in Solar Roof Top System ( Check Video )
2. Invest in Rain Water Harvesting ( Check Video )

Both of these systems are almost 1 time : Fill-Shut-Forget type.

Please check both the videos for both of them and shall be coming up with more & more content on this, as we believe, Profit is the Oxygen for businesses.