Water-Vending Units and Water Stores

Water-vending units are a common sight at many larger grocery stores and provide the consumer with filtered and/or dinsinfected product water derived from public water supplies. Water stores are retail facilities that are generally found in areas like rural northern Louisiana where many residents obtain their potable water from private water sources and sell water at water stations along with well supplies, water softeners and similar equipment. Both of these kinds of entities are regulated under the department's water-vending regulations. See the link for more information.

Water-vending units are enclosed units that dispense filtered and disinfected water to the public by means of a self-service, typically currency-operated mechanism. A water store is a facility permitted under water-vending machine regulations that distributes water from fill stations inside the storefront and may also sell related equipment and accessories. The laws and regulations pertaining to these items are present below.

Note that no one may redistribute water from a vending unit or transport water from a water store.

Only permitted bottled-water facilities may transport bulk water. Any other facility engaged in this practice will be deemed an unpermitted bottling facility and may be subject to legal sanctions including injunctions to cease and desist operations as well as substantial fines.

Resources

• List of Currently-Approved Water-Vending Units

Contact

For more information, contact the Food & Drug Program at 225-342-7533.