Wear bottling tap water

05/04/2006

Wearside tap water is being bottled for the first time to help promote the importance of drinking water.

 

Named ‘97’, the water is being bottled at Villa in Sunderland for Northumbrian Water and will keep thousands of customers around the region topped up and hydrated at different events from Berwick to North Yorkshire and across to the Pennines.

 

The water travels 11 miles from Lumley water treatment works, County Durham, before arriving at the bottling plant in Southwick where 400 bottles come off the production line per minute. The name of this healthy, calorie-free drink, reflects the 97 tests that the water goes through before reaching customers’ taps.

 

Over the past year Northumbrian Water has issued more than 40,000 bottles of 97 to a variety of events from football tournaments and triathlons to teddy bears picnics and music festivals. Production has moved to the Wearside bottling plant as it can cope efficiently with growing demand.

 

Carolyn King, Northumbrian Water’s Communications Advisor, said: "Tap water on Wearside, and throughout the rest of our supply area, is tip top quality. Bottling ‘97’ gives us the opportunity to share our splendid product in a convenient way for people to drink in any location - both indoors or out.

 

"This will also help us to promote the serious message of the importance of drinking enough water as part of a healthy lifestyle. Drinking water, eight glasses every day, benefits the health of whole the family - from tots to grandparents. The refillable 500ml bottles of 97 contain a quarter of the recommended daily intake."

 

John Sutton, Villa’s Commercial Director, said: "It is a first for our company to bottle tap water and we are proud to be chosen to do this! We are delighted to be working with Northumbrian Water to help get across the message regarding the importance of hydration."

 

Carrying the slogan ’Let water flow into your life’ the Northumbrian bottled tap water also promotes the product’s value for money - Northumbrian Water customers can drink 50 glasses of tap water a day for around one penny.

 

Customers throughout the North East who would like to apply for 97 for an event should contact Carolyn King by e-mail carolyn.king@nwl.co.uk

 

 

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For further information contact Carolyn King on 0191 3016722.

Picture caption: Northumbrian Water’s Carolyn King with Jed Thewlis of Villa holding the first bottles of 97 tap water to come off the production line at Villa.