In the United States, many consumers and businesses are choosing to buy bottled drinking water instead of tap or well water. The trend is clearly upward. A recent study of the bottled water industry indicates that US bottled water sales and consumption continue to grow at double-digit rates as consumers and businesses increasingly choose bottled water as their beverage of choice . (Source: International Bottled Water Association Press Release April 13, 2006), Many consumers are choosing bottled drinking water over tap or well water due to the level of contaminants and chlorine-related bad taste .

This increase in demand is significant as bottled water has also gained a sizeable share of the carbonated soft drink (CSD) market. CSD’s market share has also declined as a result of the recent program to ban the sale of CSD products in school systems.

Private label drinking water is the fastest growing segment of the total bottled water industry.

o Why the strong demand for bottled water?

The continued growth in bottled water consumption is primarily made up of four elements, which are as follows:

o Good taste and quality of the product

o Convenience of delivery

o Supplier customer service

o A product line offering that meets customer needs

Across the country, the bottled water industry has moved quickly to respond to market and customer needs, resulting in increased demand and consumption for bottled water. This trend has also been evident in the densely populated area of ​​Northern Virginia in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

o The Northern Virginia Bottled Water Market

The population of Northern Virginia has grown dramatically in the last ten years in large part due to the massive build-up of homeland security after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This huge population influx stressed the existing water infrastructure for both tap water and well water. Tap water, even though it was tested to FDA standards, still contained a number of potentially dangerous minerals and chlorine additives to kill bacteria. Well water, subject to chemical and organic contamination and not tested by any government agency, also turned out to be undesirable and unhealthy.

A recent Associated Press report concluded that most municipal water supplies contain potentially dangerous levels of pharmaceutical drugs, including sex steroids for hands. Some municipal water supplies don’t even report pharmaceutical levels, and Fairfax County in Northern Virginia is among those that don’t.

The State of Virginia ranks among the highest in terms of violations of the EPA’s maximum contaminant levels. The constant influx of population into Northern Virginia will continue to put pressure on the water infrastructure. (Source: Water on Tap: What You Need to Know: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/wot/pdfs/book_waterontap_full.pdf)

Many of the newcomers to Northern Virginia are young, urban professionals with young families. Most of these people are looking for healthy alternatives to their drinking water supplies.

Due to water quality issues in Northern Virginia, the growth in demand for bottled water seen across the country is mirrored at the local level. Strong demand for high-quality, good-tasting water, coupled with the convenience of local delivery, has resulted in the emergence of bottled water companies with product and service offerings of varying quality.

o 5 valuable tips for selecting a bottled water supplier

In Northern Virginia there are many choices facing the consumer looking for an alternative to tap and well water. It must be disclosed, however, that the many providers in the market are diverse and not uniform in the quality of their products and service offerings. The best providers meet customer expectations in 5 critical areas: Listed below are tips for the best choice in each area.

1. Quality and Taste of Water

Choose the purest, best-tasting water. There are many types of water that vary in quality and taste. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines a number of water categories including spring water (water from an underground source) and purified water (including distilled water). Each category defines a specific type of bottled water with Purified Water that does not contain minerals or other contaminants.

In addition to quality, taste is an important consideration. Bottled water should taste light and refreshing without any trace of aftertaste. Not all bottled water products meet these criteria, but those that do are very popular. Take a taste test before you decide to buy.

Purified water removes all contaminants, leading many experts to believe that the purified distilled/oxygenated water process produces the highest quality, best tasting bottled water.

2. Wide range of products

The consumer should look for a company that offers home delivery of high-quality coolers, 5-gallon jugs, small packages (12 and 20 oz.), PET products, and water accessories. All products must be easy to use and of commercial quality with bottle handles, spill-proof lids, and other features to ensure convenient and safe water supply.

With private label water now available for corporate events, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and other memorable occasions, a supplier that offers private label drinking water combined with high-quality private label design and production is an advantage.

3. Total Customer Satisfaction

Many bottled water providers promise customer satisfaction, but few deliver on that promise. A good way to test whether a provider can guarantee satisfaction is to make a phone call to the provider’s customer service department. If you get to a human voice on your first call, then the chances of you getting customer satisfaction are very high; However, if you receive a voicemail or recording, then the provider values ​​cost reduction more than customer service.

Bad customer service will quickly make up for a seemingly low price. Consider the total value, including customer service and product quality, before accepting a “price only” offer.

4. Ease of ordering

Ease of ordering should be a priority and long-term contracts should be avoided. Often some suppliers will quote a very low price but require an onerous long-term unilateral contract. The best way to order is with a simple agreement that does not include cancellation penalties and is customer-oriented.

Internet ordering is very convenient if the site is truly interactive. Choose a provider that has an interactive site where a customer can select the type and amount of water, set delivery times, use a credit card for payment with guaranteed security, and modify their account on demand.

A limited number of providers offer the ability to design private label drinking water on the Internet through highly interactive e-commerce sites. The best sites offer multiple layered tools that provide advanced graphic design and powerful tag messaging.

Those providers who have invested in a powerful and interactive site offer their customers greater convenience and flexibility when creating brand messages on private label drinking water.

5. Complementary products

Home and office delivery of bottled water also provides a distribution channel for other products such as coffee and tea. Like bottled water, complementary products often vary greatly in quality and customer service satisfaction. The consumer should choose a supplier that offers high-quality products backed by the best customer service.

Bottled water offers a healthy alternative to tap and well water in Northern Virginia; and home and office delivery offer convenience to consumers and businesses. However, the quality of product and service offerings on the market differs significantly. Therefore, it is in the consumer’s best interest to carefully research any potential supplier of bottled water.