International Bottled Water Association | NEWS RELEASE | November 2, 2012
Bottled Water Industry Provides Clean, Safe Drinking Water for Hurricane Sandy Victims
Alexandria, VA – The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) is working with its member bottlers to deliver critical supplies of bottled water to victims of Hurricane Sandy.
As with past disasters, IBWA member bottlers began preparing to provide substantial supplies of bottled water as the storm approached. Working in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); state, county, and municipal emergency management agencies; and emergency relief partners including the American Red Cross and AmeriCares, IBWA’s members are supplying clean and safe drinking water to hurricane victims in New Jersey, New York, and other stricken areas in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
“The bottled water industry has always been at the forefront of relief efforts during natural disasters and other catastrophic events,” said IBWA vice president of communications Chris Hogan. “Throughout the years, bottled water companies have immediately responded to the need for clean water after disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, flooding, and wildfires; or the terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center.”
“Having access to safe, clean drinking water is important to everyone’s survival, but this becomes paramount during disasters such as this when municipal supplies may become compromised,” said Hogan. During these times, bottled water is a necessary and reliable option to deliver clean, safe drinking water.
IBWA member companies are working around the clock to get bottled water to affected areas in several ways. For example, one company has so far this week delivered 12 truckloads of bottled water to Red Cross warehouses in Middletown and Somerset, New Jersey, for immediate distribution to Jersey Shore towns most in need of clean drinking water. Additionally, through AmeriCares, bottled water has been distributed to The Salvation Army for Nassau County, the Food Bank for New York City, and Vermont food banks to help residents affected by the storm.
Other IBWA members are working through Convoy of Hope, which has deployed a rapid response team, complete with emergency relief supplies, to its Long Beach, New York, distribution facility. The organization is receiving and distributing daily tractor-trailer loads of supplies including bottled water, microwaveable meals, trash bags, and other basic essentials.
The New Jersey Department of Health noted in a recent email to IBWA, “We at NJDOH and the citizens of New Jersey appreciate your organization’s and its members’ generosity and concern during our time of need.”
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Media Contact:
Chris Hogan
chogan@bottledwater.org
703.647.4609
The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) is the authoritative source of information about all types of bottled waters, including spring, mineral, purified, artesian, and sparkling. Founded in 1958, IBWA’s membership includes U.S. and international bottlers, distributors and suppliers. IBWA is committed to working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates bottled water as a packaged food product, to set comprehensive and stringent standards for safe, high-quality bottled water products.
In addition to FDA regulations, IBWA member bottlers must adhere to the IBWA Bottled Water Code of Practice, which mandates additional standards and practices that in some cases are more stringent than federal and state regulations. A key feature of the IBWA Bottled Water Code of Practice is a mandatory annual plant inspection by an independent, third-party organization.
IBWA is proud to be a partner with Keep America Beautiful and a supporter of Drink Up, an initiative of former First Lady Michelle Obama and the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), which encourages Americans to drink more water more often – whether from the tap, a filter, or in a bottle. Choosing water is always the healthy choice.
