FDA EIR - Sweet Springs Valley Water Co., Inc. - January 27, 2009

An FDA inspection of Sweet Springs Valley Water Co., Inc., a bottled spring water manufacturer, was conducted from January 22-27, 2009, under the 2009 Presidential Inauguration Food Protection Assignment and federal bottled water regulations (21 CFR 129 and 165.110). The inspection identified several significant deviations.

Main violations included bottling spring water with aluminum levels exceeding the EPA secondary maximum contaminant limit of 0.2 mg/L. The company also failed to annually test both source and bottled water for specific chemical contaminants, namely dioxins, diquat, endothall, and glyphosate, since at least 2005, despite federal requirements overriding a state waiver. Furthermore, numerous instances were noted where weekly microbiological testing of source and bottled water was not performed or documented. Finally, bottling control records showed evidence of falsification, with identical entries for critical parameters like pH, wash temperature, and ozone readings, indicating tests were not consistently conducted.

In response, company management immediately ceased bottling from the affected spring and initiated re-testing for aluminum and the previously omitted chemicals. They also implemented a new log to ensure consistent weekly microbiological sampling. The employee responsible for the record discrepancies was reprimanded, and management committed to reinforcing the importance of accurate testing and documentation.