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When the permitting process began, the Town of Kingfield worked closely with Poland Spring hydrogeologists and an independent firm to understand the dynamics of Kingfield's 7,100-acre sand-and-gravel aquifer. This abundant aquifer recharges at a rate equal to 44 million gallons per day, or about 16 billion gallons per year. Under even maximum-use conditions, Poland Spring would be withdrawing a small fraction of the aquifer's annual recharge, only about 1.2%.
Poland Spring's Kingfield bottling plant proposal followed a lengthy review process. Before construction started, permits were obtained from the Kingfield Planning Board, Maine's Department of Environmental Protection, the Maine Department of Transportation and the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
All of our new plants are constructed to be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED standards help increase energy and water efficiency, and reduce the environmental impact of our facilities. Improvements over standard construction include improved site water management and indoor air quality; reduced construction waste; use of local and recycled construction material, as well as indigenous landscaping; and water and energy conservation features.
Bottled water is one of the most extensively regulated packaged-food products. Poland Spring’s water use is monitored by independent scientists and water experts as well as the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and local municipalities and water districts. Regulators have the right to reduce or halt Poland Spring’s water withdrawal to protect water quantity and wetlands in the local watershed from any adverse impacts.
The industry receives government oversight from federal and state agencies nationwide, providing consumers with multiple safety assurances – from the finished product back to the source.
Bottled water is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which regulates food and beverage industries. It must be tested for the same parameters as tap water, but in some cases the standards are stricter than for tap water – like in high-risk areas like bacteriological contamination and lead, our standards are more stringent than the EPA’s standards for tap water. State governments inspect and certify the “sources” of spring water, which means samples have been analyzed and their quality found to be safe and sanitary.
We voluntarily submit to outside party inspection of all our bottling facilities. This audit ensures that our company meets the most stringent guidelines for sanitation and process control. In addition, we comply with inspections from the FDA, OSHA and company-mandated audits. We employ a HACCP inspection plan at all bottling facilities. HACCP is recognized worldwide as the leading food safety program for food and pharmaceuticals.
Poland Spring supports clear, science-based and focused oversight on the impact of water use on a watershed. Our operations are overseen by several environmental regulatory agencies and planning boards that grant our permits, including:
- Maine Department of Health & Human Services
- Maine Department of Environmental Protection
- Land Use Regulatory Commission
- Maine Geological Survey
- Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
- State Soil Scientist
- Maine Department of Transportation
- Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
- Natural Areas Program
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Municipalities (via local ordinance)
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