A document revealed this Monday, December 16 by Le Monde and Radio France highlights the contamination of water resources at the Perrier factory, in Vergèze. The authorities even invite the Nestlé group to “stop its production of natural mineral water”. A first.
Will the prefect of Gard have to sign the death warrant for the emblematic natural mineral water Perrier? He will be called upon to pronounce, “during the first half of 2025″on the request for renewal of the operating authorization for the Vergèze source, filed in October 2023 by Nestlé. However, an audit by the Occitanie Regional Health Agency, revealed this Monday by our colleagues from Radio France and Le Monde, reveals serious threats to sparkling water drunk throughout the world.
This is certainly only an interim report, as Nestlé Water defends to Midi Libre, but the words chosen by the health authorities reflect a worrying situation. The document points to a potential “virological risk for consumers” and considers for the first time “a cessation of the production of natural mineral water on the Vergèze site”. The ARS even suggests that Nestlé, the Swiss multinational that owns the brand, “question yourself strategically” on another possible food use of its catchments, “in conditions which would provide guarantees of health safety, which will prove essential.
At the request of the prefect
These conclusions are so worrying for the Gard site which produced 1.3 billion units (cans or bottles) in 2023 and which employs more than a thousand employees. Still according to Radio France and Le Monde, this report follows an inspection of the Perrier factory on May 30, requested by the prefect of Gard Jérôme Bonet after the first revelations, five months earlier, of the use of purification prohibited on the Hépar, Vittel, Contrex and Perrier brands. In his mission letter, he asked to verify “the proper dismantling of prohibited treatments” as well as “traceability and product manufacturing practices”.
However, according to the ARS, if some of these unauthorized treatments have indeed been withdrawn, the risk of fraud would persist. The inspectors indeed point out that “the conditions under which the inspection was carried out did not ensure that there were no other unauthorized processing devices hidden in the factory.” In addition, the quality controls carried out by the Nestlé group present microbiological results “unusual for natural mineral water”with a “water instabilityand the presence of micro-organisms in raw water, which the regulations on natural mineral waters strictly prohibit.
“Unacceptable for natural mineral water”.
A few weeks before the inspection, Perrier had also had to stop one of the factory's wells, following an episode of contamination by fecal germs, which could cause illness, which had led to the destruction of three million bottles. A cleaning operation carried out on two other wells, at the same period, revealed a new episode of contamination by this type of germs, “bacterial contaminations, punctual”, but “unacceptable for natural mineral water”.
To remedy these problems, Perrier seems to have strengthened its microfiltration treatment system, but this, again according to the ARS report, would only mask the contamination of raw water and would not prevent “a possible virological risk” for consumers. Data of which the Borne government would have been aware, authorizing Nestlé to use non-compliant microfilters.
From natural mineral water to flavored water?
Contacted to comment on this information, the Gard prefecture returned “for now” on ARS Occitanie, which did not respond to our requests. It remains to be seen whether what resembles a health scandal could threaten the Perrier factory, while there is also talk of consideration at Nestlé to dismantle its mineral water subsidiary, and therefore sell Perrier? The ARS, in its report, notes that “on a technical level, nothing prevents the treatment of natural mineral water by unauthorized processes used for other types of water“. In other words, Perrier could also reorient its production towards drinking waters with a name other than that of natural mineral water, like its new “Maison Perrier” range launched in 2024, i.e. thirteen perfumes of flavored sparkling water, from two of the seven wells on the Vergèze site. As if Nestlé had anticipated the ARS report…
“No panic”
The region's elected officials did not all rush to the gate to react to these new revelations surrounding Perrier. “We must exercise caution, this is partial information, even if I do not question its authenticity”comments Philippe Gras, mayor of Codognan and president of the Rhony Vistre Vidourle community of communes. He specifies: “It is obviously a serious subject which concerns the region's elected officials, given the importance of Perrier, the number of jobs concerned and the financial resources generated by the brand. I would not want over-media coverage to complicate a little more the task of those who must find a solution“, he said, calling for “don’t panic”.
Philippe Gras assures that he is in regular contact with the site director Philippe Fehrenbach. “A frank and constructive dialogue”. He was one of the local elected officials who were invited to recently visit the site, following the first revelations. “That day, but also when we spoke with the representatives of Perrier, I did not have the impression that they were trying to hide us or conceal some subject from us”assures the president of Rhony Vistre Vidourle. However, he accepted “without hesitation” his community's support for the parliamentary commission of inquiry into bottled water launched last week. “There is a need for calm in this matter, and looking at it with a little perspective will in any case contribute to finding the right solutions. Local elected officials will do everything in their power to achieve this”concludes Philippe Gras. Who adds: “the stakes are paramount“. Starting with the 1,000 direct jobs linked to the Perrier factory.
Gard Senator Laurent Burgoa: “Rule on standards”
L’INTERVIEW. You chair the parliamentary commission of inquiry into bottled water which launched its work on December 10. How do you react to these new revelations?
I can't react quickly. As part of this commission of inquiry, we will receive the management of Nestlé, the ARS Occitanie, the successive prefects of Gard… It is after these hearings that we will form our opinion.
But this new twist reinforces the interest of your work.
This will give our commission of inquiry a little more media attention. However, we will work in a senatorial manner, that is to say slowly but surely, in the general interest. This is an important power of control, since we are going to interview all professionals in the sector, and they cannot refuse it, without exposing themselves to criminal prosecution. Since the commission of inquiry also concerns the responsibilities of the public authorities in the failures to control the activities of these companies, we will meet the competent departments but also the prefects and all the ministers who have had, from far or near, to address these topics. There is work, since in recent years, for example, no less than eight Ministers of Health have succeeded one another. All these people will be sworn under oath, so there will be strong words.
Do you also plan to hear the ministers suspected by a senator of having authorized the use of filters against the advice of health authorities?
If you think of Ms Pannier-Runacher (then Minister of Industry, Editor's note), yes, she will be one of the ministers interviewed.
What are the challenges of this commission of inquiry?
It is above all to make recommendations, at the end of our work on May 20, 2025, which would make it possible, in the future, to avoid all of this. And, why not, to propose to the State, whatever government is then in power, to rule on standards in this area. I think we'll see more clearly when we move forward with the hearings. For now, we have opened our work in a general manner with initial hearings of historians or hydrogeologists to better establish the framework. We also plan to travel to the different sites.
You chair the commission of inquiry, but under your role as a local elected official, do you have any concerns about maintaining employment in Perrier?
It is a very important undertaking and, indeed, the local elected official is always concerned about maintaining employment. This is all the more true in this territory where the unemployment rate is higher than the national average. A relocation of Perrier would be very bad news.
