What is the difference between spring and other types of water?
Where does Chilburne Spring Water come from?
What chemical processes are used on Chilburne Spring Water?
How fresh is the water?
What is the shelf life of Chilburne Spring Water?
Why do bottles go green?
What is the Service and Sanitisation package and why is it necessary?
What is ozone treatment?
Do you charge a deposit on your bottles?
What is the company’s recycling policy?
Do you have a minimum delivery?
What is the monthly environmental recycling surcharge?
What is the difference between spring and other types of water?
Spring water is extracted from an underground source and can have a variable mineral content. It has to meet the same hygiene standards as natural mineral water, and is subject to the same limits on pollution. Spring water produced in the United Kingdom can be treated so that it reaches these standards, and many companies do just that. Chilburne Spring Water however, like natural mineral water does not undergo any treatment processes other than filtration of dirt and grit.
Natural mineral water must have a constant mineral content and be naturally free of dangerous bacteria and pollution. Regulations state that natural mineral water cannot be treated, except for filtering to remove grit.
Other bottled water (e.g. purified/distilled) may merely be treated tap water, but it must meet the purity and hygiene standards set out in the bottled water regulations. To bring it up to theses standards, bottled water can undergo processing. Purified water lacks the minerals needed to blend with tea leaves to bring out the best flavour. Some tea drinkers prefer distilled water for its softness, but others believe it creates a boring lifeless taste.
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Where does Chilburne Spring Water come from?
A spring is a point where groundwater flows out of the ground, and is therfore where the water bearing permeable rock layer meets the ground surface. Depending on how constant the source of the water is springs can be ephemeral (intermittent), perennial (continuous) or artesian (naturally pressurised). When they leave the ground they may form pools or streams.
Minerals become dissolved in the water as it moves through the underground rocks. The geology of the region gives the water its unique flavour.
Our source of water at Chilburne Spring is the natural springs that surface directly under the White Horse of Kilburn, just up the hillside from the bottling plant. The springs themselves are fed from water collected under the North Yorkshire Moors.
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What chemical processes are used on Chilburne Spring Water?
The water is so pure that no treatment processes are necessary for our spring water, other than filtration of silt and sand. This means the water is “live” – unlike tap water. The water is rigorously tested to ensure bacterial levels are within requirements for both spring and mineral water.
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How fresh is the water?
Upon delivery by Chilburne Spring the water will have been bottled the previous day meaning that it is less than 24 hours old. Our drivers can call regularly every seven days to most areas ensuring that you need not store vast amounts at your premises, and that you are constantly stocked with exceptionally fresh water.
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What is the shelf life of Chilburne Spring Water?
Whilst under correct storage conditions pure natural Chilburne Spring Water is best consumed within 6 months of bottling. The “best before” date can be found on the side of the cap on our bottles.
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Why do bottles go green?
Green bottles/water is produced by single celled algae, which although in minute amounts when bottled and kept in the correct storage conditions, may reproduce if the bottles are not looked after properly. For example, Chilburne Spring recommends spare water bottles should be stored in cool, dark conditions, such as a store cupboard. Water coolers should also be kept out of direct sunlight and away from other strong light sources e.g. strip/fluorescent lighting. If this is not possible, we strongly advise covering the bottle in some way (bottle covers are available to buy from Chilburne Spring).
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What is the Service and Sanitisation package and why is it necessary?
Research commissioned by the Bottled Water Cooler Association (BWCA) has shown that regular sanitisation of your water cooler is an important factor in ensuring that the quality of the water dispensed is maintained at its finest standard.
The frequency of sanitisation or exchange of cooler is on an average 13 week (quarterly) cycle.
The method of sanitisation varies will the type of cooler you have, but we always comply with the procedures laid down in the BWCA Technical Manual.
- The internal water reservoir will be sanitised using ozone treatment or replaced.
- The bayonet and valve reservoir will be sanitised using ozone treatment or replaced.
- The taps will be sanitised using ozone treatment or replaced.
- Alternatively the cooler will be replaced with a sanitised one.
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What is ozone treatment?
Chilburne Spring Water use ozone treatment as our sanitisation system. This is because it does not rely on harmful and expensive chemicals, but is just as effective in killing a wide range of potentially harmful micro-organisms that could contaminate your water cooler and therefore your drinking water.
Our service engineers are equipped with portable ozone generators which are able to turn oxygen into ozone, which then produce naturally occurring compounds such as hyperoxides, super oxide ions and hydroxyl free radicals. These compounds are extremely efficient antimicrobial and biocidal agents, and will also eliminate extreme odours, finally breaking down naturally. The only residues being water and fresh air.
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Do you charge a deposit on your bottles?
We do not currently charge a bottle deposit on our deliveries, however we do keep a record of bottles delivered and bottles returned. If empty bottles are not returned, a fee may be added to your invoice.
All of our bottles are reusable, and any bottles that are eventually damaged or become too old to be used are sent for recycling.
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What is the company’s recycling policy?
Chilburne Spring Ltd tries to recycle or find uses for all of the waste it produces. Obsolete and damaged bottles, racks, crates, used caps, plastic cups, cardboard, printer cartridges, and even old computers are sent to local recycling depots. All of our paper is shredded once both sides have been used, and then given to a local dog shelter for use as bedding in the kennels.
We have recently taken our ‘green’ policy a little bit further by replacing our ink date/batch coding system with a brand new laser coding system allowing us to get rid of the inks and other chemicals previously needed. In addition, we have started asking all the customers who have the facilities, if they would be willing to accept invoices via e-mail, which has helped to reduce the paper consumption of the company.
In addition, our delivery drivers work out their daily deliveries in an ergonomically agreeable route that is as efficient as possible, thus reducing fuel usage.
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Do you have a minimum delivery?
No, we have no minimum delivery requirement, however we ask that people order a delivery of no more than 688 bottles at a time.
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What is the monthly environmental recycling surcharge? This is a small charge under the new Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) to help cover the cost of the environmentally friendly disposal of coolers, refrigerators and other components at the end of their useful life.
For more information, you should look at www.dti.gov.uk/sustainability/weee or www.envirowise.gov.uk/weee
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