Natural mineral waters, which are sold the most expensive, are supervised by a European directive of 2009, which defines them by their mineral content and their “original purity” and indicates that they cannot be the subject of any disinfection and any treatment likely to modify their “microbial” (microbial flora).
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At the beginning of 2024, the Nestlé group had publicly recognized having used prohibited treatments (ultraviolet and active coal) in the past), then replaced them with a microfiltration system “Cartouche at 0.2 micron”, necessary to “ensure food security” of products.
It is therefore this microfiltration system that Nestlé will have to delete on its Vergèze site, the authorities considering, based on the opinion of the experts of the Regional Health Agency (ARS) Occitanie, that this device “modifies the microbism of the water produced, in contradiction with the regulations in force”.
At the same time, the Gard prefecture clarified to continue “the investigation of the request for the renewal of the authorization” granted to Nestlé to exploit its vergèze boreholes “intended for the manufacture of natural mineral water” Perrier. The decision “will have to take place before August 7”.
“Two months to find solutions”
“A prohibited treatment replaced another. The government, which had validated the transformation plan of Nestlé Waters, is heavily at fault,” reacted the socialist senator Alexandre Ouizille, rapporteur of the commission of inquiry into the practices of the bottled water manufacturers set up in November and whose report was expected on May 19.
“How to produce natural mineral water when the original purity of water is no longer guaranteed (…)? How now ensures optimal health security with a less effective filtration system?”, He questioned, denouncing “serious dysfunctions which weakened the State as much as the sites of the Nestlé group and their employees”.
-“Today, the urgency is to support Nestlé and its employees in the transformation which will be necessary to limit microfiltration. We have two months to find the solutions which will allow us to comply with the standard,” said in a press release the president of the Occitanie region, Carole Delga (PS).
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Regarding the possibility for Nestlé to continue to exploit its five natural mineral water drilling Perrier in Vergèze, hydrogeologists solicited by the Prefecture of Gard have already rendered a negative opinion, had revealed on April 9 before the senatorial commission the director general of Nestlé, Laurent Freixe.
Faced with the difficulty for him to produce in Vergèze water respecting the norms required for natural mineral waters, the Nestlé group had already reassigned in 2022 two drilling of the site to produce its new brand “Maison Perrier”, flavored drinks sold without the “natural mineral water” name.
The association of Foodwatch consumer estimated on Wednesday that “this decision goes in the right direction”, hoping that the judicial information started in parallel will allow “shedding light on the actions committed by the multinational and its managers”.
“Perrier is our story. We have all known people from our family, for generations, who have been working in Perrier,” said the mayor of Vergèze, Pascale Fortunat-deschamps at the end of April.
