SPRING WATER TREATMENT Spring water receives no treatment that will change its microbiological or mineral content. According to analysis results it may support only permitted treatments if these are necessary. The treatment procedure will fit all scenarios adapted to extract unwanted elements to eliminate. Filtration consists in separate and retains elements or micro organisms on either sides of a filtering bed or a membrane which are in suspension in the water Several techniques are available such as open sand bed filter, pressure sand beds membrane filters Can be distinguished: Anti particles filtration This item retains micro particles in suspension such as miscellaneous sand fine dusts etc. Sand filtration with slow crossing or membranes with a threshold cut between 10 and 100µ. This treatment will insure retention of impurities in suspension and protect down stream installations. Open bed filter has the disadvantage to be bulky. Sand bed under pressure with a slow crossing flow works just as well and is more practical. Sterilizing micro filtration Sterilization consists in removing permanently all of germs bacteria and viruses present in the water before bottling. The usual technique is a bacteriological filtration with a threshold cut under 0.22µ associated or not with an ozone treatment. The ozone action is triple: bleaching, oxidation of organic elements, sterilization. Generally ahead of this type of filtration anti particles filtration is set that will protect the sterilizing membranes from plugging. Membrane filters are generally set up in order to resolve specific problems. Their cost may be high if the membranes are not properly adapted to the needs. Absorptive technique Consists in retaining selectively particles in blocking them on a activated carbon bed. This technique will retain organic elements, chlorine, pesticides, and smells. Deferrisation Allows treatments for the separation of undesirable unstable constituents such as iron, manganese and arsenic. This method consists in separating these constituents with an oxidizing agent. The oxygen will precipitate ferrous iron in ferric iron. This action will be completed by a sand bed filtration to retain coagulated iron. Same process can be applied for the other elements. Ozone is also used with a better efficiency. But costs are higher together with a sharper handling. Furthermore ozone may change the mineral contents of the water Other techniques as reverse osmosis demineralization flocculation are not permitted by EEC Regulation. Resource quality - Bottled water