The Montgomeryshire Spring Water Company is based in a custom-built factory in the village of Churchstoke in Mid-Wales, close to the Shropshire border. Located in picturesque countryside, Churchstoke itself is framed by the gentle Montgomeryshire hills which are the source of the company’s product.

But the origins were small—first bottled as the Pentre Nant Spring Water brand, it was literally a cottage industry working from a small factory unit, until bought in 1996 by Roy Delves, owner of the successful Harry Tuffin supermarket group.

DELVES’ INVESTMENT WAS timely for the burgeoning bottled water market, and in 1998, the firm drilled for water near the present site adjacent to Harry Tuffin’s head office.
Based on the positive outcome of the first boreholes, the first phase of the present bottling factory was built.

Meeting demand
Since then, growth of the UK bottle waters business has been explosive—the fastest growing market in Western Europe—and Montgomeryshire Spring has claimed its stake in this success. In a few short years, bottling facilities have been developed as demand soared, and a third production unit is now on stream.

This latest bottling line was commissioned a year ago, and at the time of Drilltalk’s visit, was just coming into production. The impressive bottling hall is, says production director Joe Watson, state-of-the-art—it is the newest in the UK.

Beyond bottling their own Celtic Spring brands for the NISA supermarket consortium, they produce private label products for a number of retailers, each with its own unique source.

Maintaining the quality standard
Located in an ancient fissured volcanic region of high geological interest, the company owns the surrounding land. ’Keeping control of the catchment area is vital’ says Watson, ‘as it enables us to guard our resource.’ The application of fertilisers and grazing levels are kept under strict control.

‘Our standards are high, and in choosing a company to drill our boreholes, we were extremely fussy.’

Contracts were awarded to WB&AD Morgan, whose head office is located just 25 miles away.
There are now 12 boreholes, three at Pentre Nant 5 miles away, and the rest on the ridges around Churchstoke.

‘For us, consistency is important, and each borehole that Morgan have drilled have been to the same high standard. ‘Our experience with WB & AD Morgan has been good—their drilling operations are conducted with high awareness of environmental considerations, and for us this is a key factor. The drilling lubricants they use are biodegradable, and their working methods stress cleanliness. This standard is not something to be taken for granted.’

Making the grade
Each new borehole coming on line has had to conform to strict Environmental Health requirements to attain the formal recognition that allows it to be labelled as ‘mineral water’—although bottling as ‘spring water’ is not a problem.

This demands a documented two year history to verify that there is stability in respect of chemical and physical composition, microbial levels, and that water is free from pollutants—and that water quality has been consistent over this period.

The outcome for Montgomeryshire Spring Water, needless to say, was positive.

Environment and neighbours
‘Our relationship with our neighbours is very important to us,’ says Watson. ‘We take care to manage our resource properly and not to over-abstract—boreholes are sized to our needs.’
The owners are very positive about wider environmental issues—excess water from bottling operations is fed into the large wildlife pools that adjoin the supermarket, and teem with carp and wildfowl.

Water? Cheers
‘Today, bottled water is an established part of the shopping list’ says Watson, ‘and I believe that we are well placed to develop our sector of the business.’ Clearly, Montgomeryshire Spring is on a rising trend, and by wisely investing in resources and systems, is keeping ahead of demand.