ARTICLE 12. Bottled, Vended, Hauled, and Processed Water [111070. - 111198.]

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC 12.
in effect

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111070. Section 111070.

(a) “Bottled water,” means any water that is placed in a sealed container at a water-bottling plant to be used for drinking, culinary, or other purposes involving a likelihood of the water being ingested by humans. Bottled water shall not include water packaged with the approval of the department for use in a public emergency. (b) “Vended water” means any water that is dispensed by a water-vending machine, retail water facility, or water from a private water source, or other water as defined in Section 111170 that is not placed by a bottler in sealed containers, and that is dispensed by a water-vending machine, retail water facility, water hauler, or any other person or facility for drinking, culinary, or other purposes involving a likelihood of the water being ingested by humans. “Vended water,” does not include water from a public water system that has not undergone additional treatment. Water sold without further treatment is not “vended water” and shall be labeled in accordance with Section 111170. (c) “Water-bottling plant” means any facility in which bottled water is produced. (d) A “water-vending machine” means a water-connected vending machine designed to dispense drinking water, or purified or other water products. The machines shall be designed to reduce or remove turbidity, off-tastes, and odors and to provide disinfection treatment. Processes for dissolved solids reduction or removal shall also be used. (e) “Water hauler,” means any person who hauls water in bulk by any means of transportation if the water is to be used for drinking, culinary, or other purposes involving a likelihood of the water being ingested by humans. “In bulk,” as used in this subdivision, means containers having capacities of 250 gallons or greater. (f) “Retail water facility” means any commercial establishment where vended water is sold, and placed in customer’s containers, or placed in containers sold or given to customers who come to the establishment to obtain water. (g) “Private water source,” means a privately owned source of water, other than a public water system, that is used for bottled or vended water and meets the requirements of an approved source for bottled water as defined in Section 129.3 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (h) “Bottled water distributor” means any person, other than an employee or representative of a bottled water plant, who delivers bottled water directly to customers.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111070.5. Section 111070.5.

(a) “Advanced purified demonstration water” means product water from an advanced water purification facility that satisfies both of the following requirements: (1) The product water is treated by all of the following treatment processes: (A) Microfiltration, ultrafiltration, or other filtration process that removes particulates before reverse osmosis. (B) Reverse osmosis. (C) Advanced oxidation. (2) The product water meets or exceeds all federal and state drinking water standards and is produced in accordance with the advanced treatment criteria for purified water specified in Section 60320.201 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations. (b) A bottler of advanced purified demonstration water shall do all of the following: (1) Submit sample labels to the department for review at least 30 days before bottling advanced purified demonstration water. (2) Submit the analyses of the advanced purified demonstration water required under subdivision (e) of Section 13570 of the Water Code to the department at least seven days before bottling advanced purified demonstration water. (3) Conduct a full sanitation of the bottling and filling equipment immediately after bottling advanced purified demonstration water.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111071. Section 111071.

(a) As a condition of licensure, each bottled water plant, which has the same meaning as the definition in subdivision (c) of Section 111070, shall annually prepare a bottled water report and shall, upon request, make that report available to each customer. (b) The report shall be prepared in English, Spanish, and in the appropriate languages for each non-English-speaking group other than Spanish that exceeds 10 percent of the state’s population. (c) For purposes of complying with this section, when bottled water comes from a municipal source, the relevant information from the consumer confidence report or water quality report prepared for that year by the public water system pursuant to Section 116470 may be used. (d) The bottled water report shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following: (1) The source of the bottled water, consistent with applicable state and federal regulations. (2) A brief and plainly worded definition of the terms “statement of quality,” “maximum contaminant level,” “primary drinking water standard,” and “public health goal.” (3) A brief description of the treatment process. (4) A reference to the United States Food and Drug Administration Internet Web site that provides product recall information. (5) The bottled water company’s address and telephone number that enables customers to obtain further information concerning contaminants and potential health effects. (6) Information on the levels of unregulated substances, if any, for which water bottlers are required to monitor pursuant to state or federal law or regulation. (7) (A) The following statement: “Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the United States Food and Drug Administration, Food and Cosmetic Hotline (1-888-723-3366).” (B) If the telephone number for the United States Food and Drug Administration, Food and Cosmetic Hotline changes, the statement shall be updated to reflect the new telephone number. (8) The following statement: “Some persons may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons, including, but not limited to, persons with cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, persons with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly persons, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These persons should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. The United States Environmental Protection Agency and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).” (9) The following statement: “The sources of bottled water include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water naturally travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it can pick up naturally occurring substances as well as substances that are present due to animal and human activity. Substances that may be present in the source water include any of the following: (1) Inorganic substances, including, but not limited to, salts and metals, that can be naturally occurring or result from farming, urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, or oil and gas production. (2) Pesticides and herbicides that may come from a variety of sources, including, but not limited to, agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses. (3) Organic substances that are byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, agricultural application, and septic systems. (4) Microbial organisms that may come from wildlife, agricultural livestock operations, sewage treatment plants, and septic systems. (5) Substances with radioactive properties that can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.” (10) The following statement: “In order to ensure that bottled water is safe to drink, the United States Food and Drug Administration and the State Department of Public Health prescribe regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by bottled water companies.” (11) (A) The following statement, if nitrate (NO 3 ) levels above 23 ppm but below 45 ppm (the maximum contaminant level for nitrate (NO 3 )) are detected: “Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 45 mg/L is a health risk for infants of less than six months of age. These nitrate levels in drinking water can interfere with the capacity of the infant’s blood to carry oxygen, resulting in a serious illness. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blueness of the skin. Nitrate levels above 45 mg/L may also affect the ability of the blood to carry oxygen in other individuals, including, but not limited to, pregnant women and those with certain specific enzyme deficiencies. If you are caring for an infant, or you are pregnant, you should ask advice from your health care provider.” (B) If the nitrate disclosure requirements for municipal water suppliers are revised by the State Department of Public Health, this statement shall be updated to reflect the revision. (12) (A) The following statement, if arsenic levels above 5 ppb, but below 10 ppb (the maximum contaminant level for arsenic), are detected: “Arsenic levels above 5 ppb and up to 10 ppb are present in your drinking water. While your drinking water meets the current EPA standard for arsenic, it does contain low levels of arsenic. The standard balances the current understanding of arsenic’s possible health effects against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water. The State Department of Public Health continues to research the health effects of low levels of arsenic, which is a mineral known to cause cancer in humans at high concentrations and is linked to other health effects, including, but not limited to, skin damage and circulatory problems.” (B) If the arsenic disclosure requirements for municipal water suppliers are revised by the State Department of Public Health, this statement shall be updated to reflect the revision. (13) A full disclosure of any exemption or variance that has been granted to the bottler by the State Department of Public Health, including an explanation of reasons for each exemption or variance and the date of the exemption or variance.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111075. Section 111075.

(a) Any person who processes, packages, distributes, transfers, or stores bottled water or vended water shall comply with the good manufacturing practices described in Part 129 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (b) Prior to bottling or vending water, the water shall be subjected to filtration and effective germicidal treatment by ozone, ultraviolet, carbon dioxide, or an equivalent disinfection process approved by the department, except that the requirements for filtration and germicidal treatment shall not apply to mineral water as defined in and from a source that is subject to the council directive of the European Economic Community pertaining to natural mineral waters, dated July 15, 1980, or that is subject to any other natural mineral water standard in the country of origin that prohibits filtration and germicidal treatment, so long as both of the following conditions are met: (1) The source and product are certified by the responsible authority in the country of origin as complying with microbiological standards at least equal to the standards of this article. (2) The product complies with microbiological standards of this article. (c) Bottled or vended water that originates from a surface water source that is not protected from surface contamination shall be subjected to ozonation, filtration, or another effective process that removes or destroys the cysts of the parasite Giardia lamblia. For the purposes of this section, a spring house, catchment basin, storage tank, or bore hole adjacent to a natural spring water source as defined in paragraphs (3) and (8) of subdivision (e) of Section 111170, is not a surface water source. (d) Ollas or other water-holding dispensers, both refrigerated and nonrefrigerated, water-vending machines, and water dispensers in retail water facilities, shall be examined for cleanliness each time they are serviced by the distributor, bottler, retail water facility, or water-vending machine operator. When necessary, these dispensers shall be sanitized according to the methods described in Part 129 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (e) Sanitary operations, equipment procedures, and process controls used in the treatment, storage, transport, or dispensing of water at a retail water facility shall comply with the good manufacturing practices described in the following provisions of Part 129 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations: subdivisions (a) to (c), inclusive, of Section 129.37; Section 129.40; and subdivisions (a), (c), (d), and (h) of Section 129.80. (f) Sanitary operations, equipment, procedures, and process controls used in the treatment, storage, transfer, transport, or dispensing of water by water haulers, shall comply with the good manufacturing practices described in the following provisions of Part 129 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations: subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 129.37; Section 129.40; and subdivisions (a), (c), (d), and (h) of Section 129.89. (g) The design and construction of wells, bore holes, catchment basins, spring houses, storage tanks, or other water-contact equipment used by private water sources shall comply with the requirements of the local regulatory authority. Sanitary operations, equipment procedures, and transfer controls used in the treatment, storage, transfer, or dispensing of water by private water source operators shall comply with the good manufacturing practices described in the following provisions of Part 129 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations: subdivision (a) of Section 129.37; Section 129.40; and subdivisions (a), (c), (d), (g), and (h) of Section 129.80. (h) Bottled water may be processed through lines used also for other food products under the following conditions: (1) Process lines, including storage tanks and associated equipment, shall be used exclusively for the production of bottled water, except for filling equipment, that may be used also for filling other food products. (2) Before being used for the bottling of water, filling equipment that is designed to be cleaned in-place and that is used for filling other food products shall be thoroughly cleansed and sanitized in-place in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications and in compliance with Section 129.80 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations and the supplementary procedures that follow in paragraphs (3) to (7), inclusive, of this section. (3) Immediately following completion of filling operations for any other food product other than water, the filler shall be thoroughly rinsed internally and externally with potable water. (4) In accordance with filler manufacturer’s instructions, any parts that are not designed to be cleaned in-place shall be disassembled and removed. All of these parts shall be cleansed and sanitized prior to reassembly using appropriate cleansing and sanitizing procedures, as specified in subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 129.80 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (5) All surfaces of the filler that do not contact food products shall be cleaned manually so as to render all surfaces clean and free of any residues. (6) The filler shall be prepared and all appropriate connections made in accordance with the filler manufacturer’s instructions to place the filler in the clean-in-place mode. The following procedures shall be followed: (A) An alkaline cleaning solution of appropriate strength shall be recirculated through the filler to provide effective cleaning of all product contact surfaces, with a minimum recirculation time of 20 minutes at a temperature between 140 and 170 degrees Fahrenheit. (B) The cleaning solution shall be drained and followed with a potable water rinse-to-drain for the removal of all residual cleaner alkalinity. This step may be supplemented by the application of an acidified rinse prior to the potable water rinse in order to neutralize any residual alkalinity on product contact surfaces. (7) Following reassembly of all parts to place the filler into the product mode and just prior to bottling water, the filler shall be sanitized in-place in accordance with procedures specified in subdivision (d) of Section 129.80 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (8) Any alternate cleaning, rinsing, or sanitizing operations or processes not described in this section shall be approved in writing by the department. (i) Bottled water and bulk waters sold at retail shall not contact equipment, lines, tanks, or vehicles used for processing, packaging, holding, or hauling of any nonfood product.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111080. Section 111080.

The quality and labeling standards requirements for bottled water and vended water, including mineral water, shall include all standards prescribed by Section 165.110 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. In addition, bottled water and vended water, when bottled, shall comply with the following quality standards and any additional quality standards adopted by regulation that the department determines are reasonably necessary to protect the public health: (a) Bottled water and vended water shall meet all maximum contaminant levels set for public drinking water that the department determines are necessary or appropriate so that bottled water may present no adverse effect on public health. New or revised allowable levels or monitoring provisions adopted for bottled water by the United States Food and Drug Administration under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act that are more stringent than the state requirements for bottled water are incorporated into this chapter and are effective on the date established by the federal provisions unless otherwise established by regulations of the department. (b) Bottled and vended water shall not exceed 10 parts per billion of total trihalomethanes or five parts per billion of lead unless the department establishes a lower level by regulation. (c) Bottled and vended water shall contain no chemicals in concentrations that the United States Food and Drug Administration or the state department has determined may have an adverse effect on public health.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111085. Section 111085.

Polycarbonate resins manufactured after January 1, 1988, and intended for use in fabricating containers for water products defined in this article shall not contain in excess of three parts per million residual methylene chloride or in excess of 200 parts per million residual monochlorobenzene unless the department establishes a lower level by regulation. For the purpose of monitoring compliance with this section, the concentration of methylene chloride and monochlorobenzene shall not exceed one part per billion in water. “Polycarbonate resins” means the substances defined by Section 177.1580 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations except as modified by this section.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111090. Section 111090.

Any owner or operator of a water-vending machine or other device from which any operator or customer dispenses vended water shall comply with the following standards of design, construction and sanitation and any additional standards adopted by regulation that the department determines are reasonably necessary to protect the public health. The water-vending machines or devices shall do all of the following: (a) Comply with the construction and performance standards established by the department or by an independent authority approved by the department. (b) Be designed and constructed to permit easy cleaning and maintenance of all exterior and interior surfaces. (c) Have all parts and surfaces that come into contact with the water constructed of approved, corrosive-resistant and nonabsorbent material capable of withstanding repeated cleaning and sanitizing treatment. (d) Have a recessed or guarded corrosion-resistant dispensing spout. (e) Be designed so that all treatment of the vended water by distillation, ion exchange, filtration, ultraviolet light, reverse osmosis, mineral addition, or any other acceptable process is done in an effective manner. (f) Have an effective system of handling drip, spillage, and overflow of water. (g) Have a backflow prevention device approved by the department for all connections with the water supply. (h) Dispense water disinfected by ultraviolet light or other method approved by the department prior to delivery into the customer’s container. (i) Be equipped with monitoring devices designed to shutdown operation of the machine when the disinfection unit fails to function, or shall be monitored daily at startup and manually shutdown whenever the unit fails to function. (j) Be equipped with a self-closing, tight-fitting door on the vending compartment, or enclosing the vending spout to protect the vending spout when the water-vending machine is not in use. As an alternative, water-vending machines or other water-dispensing devices may be enclosed in a room with tight-fitting walls, ceilings, and one of the following: a self-closing door, an effective air screen device, or an alternative effective device approved by the department. (k) Comply with the American Water Works Association (AWWA) specifications for granular activated carbon if used in the treatment of potable water (AWWA B604-74). ( l ) Be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition, free from dirt and vermin. (m) Use a state approved and regulated public water supply or private water source. (n) Be located in an area that can be maintained in a clean condition and in a manner that avoids insect and rodent harborage. (o) Be equipped with monitoring devices designed to shut down the labeled purified water delivery system if treatment of water by the machine does not result in a total dissolved solids content of less than 10 milligrams per liter in the purified water. Alternatively, machines shall be monitored daily at startup and manually shutdown whenever the total dissolved solids content exceeds 10 milligrams per liter in the purified water.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111095. Section 111095.

It shall be unlawful to operate a bottled plant water plant, water-vending machine, retail water facility, or private water source in violation of the minimum health standards of this article.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111100. Section 111100.

It is unlawful for any person to operate a water vending machine in this state that does not satisfy the minimum standards prescribed by this article for the design, construction, and sanitation of water-vending machines.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111105. Section 111105.

The department, upon the request of a local health officer, may authorize the local health officer to implement and enforce those provisions of this article that relate to water-vending machines, retail water facilities, and water haulers under the terms and conditions specified by the department.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111115. Section 111115.

(a) Each water-vending machine, retail water treatment plant, water hauler vehicle and facility, and private water source shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition at all times. (b) (1) The department shall require that water-vending machines be cleaned, serviced, and sanitized in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications, but at least once every 31 days. (2) Inspection records shall be kept for every visit made by either the operator or the maintenance personnel pursuant to this subdivision. These records shall show the date and time of the visit, any tests performed, any maintenance performed, and the signature or electronic signature of the operator or maintenance personnel. The records shall be kept by the owner of the water-vending machine for a minimum of two years and shall be made available to the department upon request. (c) A record of any consumer complaints shall be kept on file with the owner of the water-vending machine for a minimum of two years, and shall be made available to the department upon request. (d) If the department determines that there is a violation of this article, the department may do either or both of the following: (1) Embargo the machine pursuant to Section 111860. (2) Impose a fine, as determined appropriate by the department. (e) (1) The department shall, annually, conduct inspections of not less than 20 percent of the licensed water-vending machines in the state and shall include both rural and urban counties. The selection of these machines shall be dependent on the state of the machine and the quality of the water source, and any other factors as determined by the department. (2) The department may perform, within 12 months of the initial violation, one or more reinspections of each water-vending machine or water retailer that is found to be in violation of this section as necessary to prevent repeated or continuing violations. The department shall charge a fee to the owner to cover the costs of performing the reinspections. The fee shall not exceed the full cost of performing the reinspections up to a maximum of one hundred dollars ($100) per hour. (f) Subdivisions (b) to (e), inclusive, shall become operative January 1, 2009.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111120. Section 111120.

(a) No person shall operate a water-bottling plant, a private water source, or be a bottled water distributor in this state except pursuant to a license issued by the department. If a person has a valid water-bottling plant license issued by the department, additional license fees for a private water source operator, a retail water facility, a water hauler, or a bottled water distributor based and operating at the same address, shall not be required. (b) No person shall own or operate a water-vending machine or a retail water facility or be a water hauler, except pursuant to a license issued by the department or to a permit issued by a local health department. (c) It shall be unlawful for any person to bottle, collect, treat, hold, distribute, haul, vend, or sell bottled water, vended water, operate a retail water facility, or operate a private water source without the license as required by this article. Any bottled water or vended water dispensed by a retail water facility or a private water source that is not licensed in compliance with this article is misbranded and may be embargoed pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 111120. (d) It shall be unlawful for a water bottler, distributor, vendor, retail water facility operator, or private water source operator to sell or otherwise distribute water that is adulterated, as defined in Section 110445, 110545, 110560, or 110565, or that is misbranded as defined in Article 6 (commencing with Section 110660) of Chapter 5. (e) For the purposes of enforcing this section, water may be embargoed pursuant to Section 111860 in its immediate container, well, spring, spring vault, holding tank, water hauling vehicle, retail water treatment system, spigot, or pipe if there is reasonable cause to believe that it is adulterated. (f) Any retail water facility, water vendor, or water hauler that violates this article may be subjected to the same penalty and enforcement procedure provided for violation of this article by a water bottling facility.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111125. Section 111125.

No bottled water produced in an out-of-state bottling plant shall be sold or distributed within this state unless either the out-of-state bottler or the distributor shall have first obtained a bottler’s or distributor’s license.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111130. Section 111130.

(a) The department shall charge and collect a fee for each license application submitted in accordance with the fee schedule in Table 1, that shall be an amount reasonably necessary to produce sufficient revenue to enforce this article. The fees collected shall be adjusted annually as required by Section 100425. New applicants for a water bottling plant license shall pay Category 2 fees for the first license year. (b) The water-bottling plant and bottled water distributor categories shall be determined by dividing by 52 the number of gallons produced or shipped into California during the previous year. If the result is an average of 5,000 gallons or less per week, the firm is Category 1. If the average exceeds 5,000 gallons per week, the firm is Category 2. Table 1 License Fees License Class Annual Fee Water-Bottling Plant Category 1 $ 310 Category 2 875 Water-Vending Machine 40 Water Hauler 310 Retail Water Facility 310 Private Water Source Operator 310 Bottled Water Distributor 310 (c) The owners or operators of each water-bottling plant, retail water facility, private water source, each water hauler in California and bottlers or distributors of water bottled out-of-state shall make application for a license on forms provided by the department. Applications and license fees shall be submitted annually. Applicants shall provide to the department, in electronic format, the serial number of each machine, and the street address, city, ZIP Code, and county where the machine is located. (d) Each water-vending machine owner or operator shall make application annually for a license for all machines on forms provided by the department. A decal or seal provided by the department indicating a license fee has been paid shall be affixed in a prominent place to each water-vending machine in service. The duty to display the decal or seal shall apply only on and after the decal has been received by the operator.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111135. Section 111135.

The department may deny any license application or revoke or suspend any license issued for cause. The department shall inform the person of any denial, revocation, or suspension in writing, stating with particularity reasons for the denial, revocation, or suspension. “Cause,” as used in this section, means a violation of any provision of this chapter or any regulation adopted pursuant thereto.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111140. Section 111140.

The department shall charge and collect a fee for each department evaluation required to issue a new license for a water-vending machine model or a retail water facility to determine compliance with standards established by this article. The fee shall be three hundred dollars ($300) and shall be adjusted annually as required by Section 100425.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111145. Section 111145.

(a) The department shall require each bottler, distributor, or vendor of bottled water, each owner or operator of any water-vending machine, each water hauler, each retail water facility operator, each private water source operator, and each applicant for a license, to test for all substances necessary to establish conformance to standards adopted pursuant to Section 111080 at the times and frequencies the department may reasonably establish. (b) Each product dispensed by a water-vending machine or a retail water facility shall be sampled and analyzed for coliform bacteria at least once every six months. The analysis shall be submitted to the department indicating whether the water is pure and wholesome. Analysis of vended water or water from retail water facilities shall be submitted to the local health officers if the local health officers are authorized by the department pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 111105. (c) Purified waters from retail water facilities shall be analyzed by the operator for dissolved solids by conductivity measurement not less frequently than once every seven days. (d) Purified water from vending machines shall be analyzed by the operator for the dissolved solids by conductivity measurement each time the vending machine is serviced.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111150. Section 111150.

(a) All sources of bottled water, vended water, and water dispensed by a retail water facility shall be monitored annually for the presence of volatile organic compounds of potential public health concern, as specified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in Tables 2 and 14 contained in Volume 50 of the Federal Register on pages 46904, 46923, and 46924 on November 13, 1985, or as reasonably specified by the department as a condition of licensure. (b) In lieu of source water monitoring required by this section, a water bottler, water vendor, or a retail water facility may document that the source monitoring required by this section is conducted by another entity approved by the department, or may comply with the treatment requirements of subdivision (c). (c) Detection in the source water of a volatile organic compound, except trihalomethanes, for which source monitoring is required pursuant to this section shall be followed immediately by a program of periodic monitoring by the water bottler, water vendor, or retail water facility to confirm the presence or absence in the source water of the volatile organic compound. If the volatile organic compound is confirmed to be present in the source water it shall be treated using granular activated carbon treatment or an equivalent treatment operated in accordance with good manufacturing practices as provided in Section 129.80 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations until the time that the concentration of the volatile organic compound does not exceed either one part per billion, or any United States Environmental Protection Agency or United States Food and Drug Administration level for drinking water, or a maximum contaminant level established by the department for bottled water. (d) The department may exempt any water bottler, water vendor, or retail water facility from the monitoring requirements of this section for any source based on a showing satisfactory to the department that the source (1) does not contain the volatile organic compound for which monitoring is required and (2) is not vulnerable to contamination by the volatile organic compound because for surface water sources the compounds are not applied, manufactured, stored, disposed or shipped upstream, and for groundwater sources, the compounds are not applied, manufactured, stored, disposed, or shipped in the groundwater recharge basin.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111155. Section 111155.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this article, the department may require any bottler, distributor, or vendor of bottled water, any owner or operator of a water-vending machine, any water hauler, any retail water facility operator, any private water source operator, or any applicant for a license to test and submit results to the department for any substance, including organic chemical contaminants, at any time that the department believes the substance may be present in the water source and threaten the public health.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111160. Section 111160.

(a) Upon a determination by the department that a particular water source is subject to potential contamination, the department shall notify the bottler, distributor, or vendor of bottled water, the owner and operator of any water-vending machine, any water hauler, any retail water facility operator, or any private water source operator of the specific contaminants or class of contaminants that pose a potential health risk. (b) Within 90 days after notification by the department, the bottler, distributor, vendor of bottled water, the owner and operator of any water-vending machine, any water hauler, any retail water facility operator, or any private water source operator shall conduct an analysis of the water source and submit the results of the analysis to the department. (c) If evidence of contamination is found, the department may, by order, require the bottler, distributor, vendor of bottled water, or the owner and operator of any water-vending machine, any water hauler, any retail water facility operator, or any private water source operator to conduct a source and product water analysis for the contaminants of concern in accordance with conditions specified by the department. The water analysis shall be conducted and reported on an annual basis, unless the department finds that reasonable action requires either more frequent or less frequent analysis. (d) The department may, by order, require the bottler, distributor, vendor of bottled water, the owner and operator of any water-vending machine, any water hauler, any retail water facility operator, or any private water source operator to reduce or eliminate the concentration of any chemical that the department determines may have an adverse effect on public health. Until an enforceable standard has been established for a chemical that may have an adverse effect on human health, the department may require treatment techniques to reduce the concentration of the contaminants that require treatment, in the department’s judgment, to prevent known or anticipated adverse effects on the health of persons. The treatment system shall be designed to meet criteria designated by the department or by an independent authority approved by the department. (e) The department may grant variances from the requirements of subdivision (d), if the bottler, distributor, vendor of bottled water, the owner and operator of any water-vending machine, any water hauler, any retail water facility operator, or any private water source operator demonstrates either of the following: (1) That the prescribed treatment technique is not necessary to protect the health of consumers because its water source is not subject to, nor is it likely to be subject to, significant chemical contamination. (2) An alternative treatment technique is at least as efficient in lowering the level of contaminants to be controlled.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111165. Section 111165.

All testing of bottled water, bottled water sources, water distributed by water haulers, water from retail water facility, and water from vending machines shall be done by laboratories approved by the department, laboratories certified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, laboratories certified by the primary enforcement authority in states that have been granted primacy by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, or laboratories certified (accredited) by a third-party organization acceptable to a primacy state.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111170. Section 111170.

(a) Labeling and advertising of bottled water and vended water shall conform with this section, Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 110290), and applicable portions of Part 101 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (b) Each container of bottled water sold in this state, each water-vending machine, and each container provided by retail water facilities located in this state shall be clearly labeled in an easily readable format. Retail water facilities that do not provide labeled containers shall post, in a location readily visible to consumers, a sign conveying required label information. (c) Water-vending machines, retail water facilities, and private water sources that sell water at retail shall display in a position clearly visible to customers the following information: (1) The name and address of the operator. (2) The fact that the water is obtained from an approved public water supply or licensed private water source. (3) A statement describing the treatment process used. (4) If no treatment process is utilized, a statement to that effect. (5) A toll-free telephone number or a local telephone number within the area code in which the machine is located that may be called for further information, service, or complaints, and the toll-free telephone number of the department’s food and drug branch that may be called for complaints or questions. (6) A sign or label indicating the date on which the water-vending machine was last sanitized and serviced by the operator or maintenance personnel as required pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 111115. (7) A notice to consumers listing the industry’s recommendations for the type and condition of container suitable for use with the water-vending machine. (8) A valid decal or seal received from the department indicating that a license fee has been paid and a license issued for the water-vending machine as set forth in subdivision (d) of Section 111130. (d) The information required pursuant to subdivision (c) shall be displayed in both English and Spanish. (e) Bottled water may be labeled “drinking water,” notwithstanding the source or characteristics of the water, only if it is processed pursuant to the Food and Drug Administration Good Manufacturing Practices contained in Section 165.110 and Parts 110 and 129 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Sections 12235 to 12285, inclusive, of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations, and any other requirements established by the department pursuant to Sections 111145, 111150, and 111155. Any vended water and any water from a retail water facility may be labeled “drinking water,” notwithstanding the source or characteristics of the water, only if it is processed pursuant to Article 10 (commencing with Section 114200) of Chapter 4 of Part 7 and any other requirements established by the department pursuant to Sections 111145, 111150, and 111155. (f) Each container of bottled water sold at retail or wholesale in this state in a beverage container shall include on its label, or on an additional label affixed to the bottle, or on a package insert or attachment, all the following: (1) The name and contact information for the bottler or brand owner. (2) The source of the bottled water, in compliance with applicable state and federal regulations. (3) A clear and conspicuous statement that informs consumers about how to access water quality information contained in the bottled water report required by Section 111071. (A) The statement shall contain all of the following: (i) It shall include the term “water quality and information” appropriately, while informing customers about methods of gaining access to the full bottled water report. (ii) It shall provide a telephone number, where information can be requested from the bottled water company and one other means of contact for the bottled water company, including, but not limited to, a mailing address, e-mail address, or the bottled water company’s Web site. (B) The following statement may be used to fulfill the requirements of this paragraph: “For more information and to obtain additional consumer information relating to water quality, including a bottled water report, contact [name of bottled water company] at [telephone number or toll-free telephone number] and [at least one of the following: mailing address, e-mail address, or the bottled water company’s Web site].” (g) Bottlers that distribute bottled or vended water directly to consumers shall provide a statement on each billing statement that includes both of the following: (1) A telephone number and mailing address of the bottler or brand owner. (2) The means by which a consumer may obtain consumer information relating to water quality, including a bottled water report, as described in Section 111071. (h) Amendments made to this section by SB 220 of the 2007–08 Regular Session shall only apply to bottled water that was bottled on or after January 1, 2009.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111172. Section 111172.

(a) The labeling on bottled water sold in nonreturnable (one-way) packages in this state shall include one of the following: (1) A telephone number of the bottler or brand owner. (2) The bottler’s or brand owner’s mailing address. (b) Bottlers or brand owners may also include other forms of contact, including, but not limited to, the bottler’s or brand owner’s E-mail address or website. (c) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2002.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111175. Section 111175.

In addition to the requirements of Section 111170, if a bottler, distributor, water hauler, retail water facility operator, or vending machine operator provides information in the labeling or advertising stating or implying that this water is of a specific water type (for example, “spring water”) or treated in a specific manner (for example, “purified”), the type or treatment shall be clearly labeled in an easily readable format. In order to be so labeled, the source or treatment shall conform to the definitions established in Section 165.110 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, or, if not defined in that section, with the following criteria: (1) “Mineralized water” means bottled or vended water that meets the requirements of “mineral water” except that the water contains added minerals. (2) “Natural water” means bottled or vended spring, artesian well, or well water that is unmodified by mineral addition or deletion, except “natural water” may be filtered and shall be sanitized with ozone or an equivalent disinfection process and treated to reduce the concentration of any substance that exceeds safety standards established by the department. (3) “Naturally sparkling water” means bottled water or vended water with a carbon dioxide content from the same source as the water. “Sparkling,” “carbonated,” or “carbonation added” means bottled water or vended water that contains carbon dioxide. (4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, water from a public water system that is unprocessed by the bottler or vendor shall be in compliance with Section 165.110(a)(3)(ii) of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111180. Section 111180.

Except as provided in Section 111080, any bottled water or vended water, the quality of which is below the quality required by this article, shall be labeled with a statement of substandard quality, as prescribed by subsection (b) of Section 165.110 of Subpart B of Part 165 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111185. Section 111185.

Any bottler, distributor, vendor of bottled water, or owner or operator of any water-vending machine or retail water facility, whose corporate name or trademark contains the words “spring” or “springs,” or any derivative of either of these words, or “well,” “artesian well,” or “natural” shall label each bottle or vending machine with the source of the water in typeface at least equal to the size of the typeface of the corporate name or trademark, if the source of the bottled or vended water is different from the source stated in the corporate name or trademark. Retail water facilities that do not provide labeled containers shall post, in a location readily visible to consumers, a sign conveying required label information.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111190. Section 111190.

(a) A bottled water, as defined in Section 111070, with natural or added carbonation, may be prepared with added flavors, extracts, essences, or fruit juice concentrates derived from a spice or fruit and comprising less than 1 percent by weight of the final product. The final product shall not contain sweeteners, or additives other than the flavors, extracts, essences, or fruit juice concentrates and carbon dioxide and shall be designated on labels and in advertising as follows: (1) The common or usual name of the characterizing flavor shall accompany the designation of the bottled water product type as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 111170. (2) The product may be designated as “natural” only if it meets the requirements for the designation as defined in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 111175, and naturally derived flavors, extracts, or essences are used. (b) Products labeled pursuant to this section shall comply with all other provisions of this article. Products with one type or one source of bottled water that are labeled pursuant to this section shall not be blended with water that is not bottled water or that is of another bottled water type.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111192. Section 111192.

(a) Bottlers and water haulers that distribute directly to consumers shall provide a sentence on each billing statement that includes one of the following: (1) A telephone number of the bottler or brand owner. (2) The bottler’s or brand owner’s mailing address. (b) Bottlers or brand owners may also include other forms of contact, including, but not limited to, the bottler’s or brand owner’s E-mail address or website. (c) Bottlers and water haulers that distribute directly to consumers shall, in the billing statement, provide to new customers, and to existing customers once per year thereafter, the following statement: “As a food product, bottled water is subject to rules and regulations promulgated by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For further information, please contact (insert the name of the bottler or brand owner) at (insert the bottler’s or brand owner’s telephone number or mailing address).” (d) Water vending machines shall display the same information on the machines that is required under subdivisions (a) and (c). (e) Retail water facilities shall provide new customers the same information that is required under subdivisions (a) and (c). These facilities shall also display this information in a take-home format. (f) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2002.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111193. Section 111193.

(a) The department may by written permission allow a person to package water for use in public emergencies without obtaining a water bottling license, where the emergency has resulted in the interruption of, or has compromised the quality of, the public drinking water supply. This permission may authorize the suspension of any provision of this chapter and related regulations. (b) (1) The department may at any time change or impose on the permittee any requirements such as testing, equipment, and documentation that the department deems necessary to protect public health but in doing so shall consider the effect of those requirements in light of the urgency of the situation. The department may grant or withdraw this permission at any time. (2) Packing, distribution, and use of water under this permit shall only be allowed during the emergency period and shall end upon the restoration of adequate public drinking supplies as determined by the department. Distribution shall be limited to the area affected. Water so packaged shall be prominently labeled “drinking water”, “for emergency use only”, and “not for sale”, or similar wording approved by the department. (c) This section shall not be construed to restrict licensed water bottling plants from providing water processed in accordance with this chapter in emergency situations.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111195. Section 111195.

The department, prior to issuing a license, shall review all labels prepared pursuant to this article, and may require any changes in order to comply with this article.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 111198. Section 111198.

The department shall post annually on its Internet Web site, in connection to the entities it regulates under this article, all of the following information: (a) The total number of licenses, by type and county, issued in the prior calendar year. (b) The number of inspections performed by the department in the previous calendar year, broken down by county and license type. (c) The number and type of major violations, and the actions taken to correct those violations. (d) The number and dollar value of fines levied under subdivision (c).
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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