ZeroWater Agrees to Settle False Advertising Lawsuit Brought by the International Bottled Water Association

International Bottled Water Association | Immediate Release | October 4, 2010

ZeroWater Agrees to Settle False Advertising Lawsuit Brought by the International Bottled Water Association

Alexandria, Virginia – The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), a not-for-profit association of bottled water producers, distributors, and suppliers, and Zero Technologies, LLC (ZeroWater), a maker of water filtration products for home use, announced today that they have settled a lawsuit IBWA brought against ZeroWater. The lawsuit, which was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, alleged that ZeroWater made false and misleading statements in its advertisements regarding the health, safety, and taste of bottled water products, as well as the capabilities of Zero Water’s products.

The parties have resolved the lawsuit. As part of a confidential settlement between the parties, ZeroWater agreed to certain restrictions on its advertising. Specifically, Zero Water has agreed to a consent order, enforceable by the federal court, that requires ZeroWater to not make certain statements relating to its products and to bottled water products that it had previously made in its advertisements. In addition, Zero Water has agreed not to make certain other statements relating to the health, safety or taste of bottled water, either explicitly or by implication.

Joseph Doss, President of IBWA, commented that, “IBWA works hard to promote the good name of the bottled water industry, and it is important for us, and for our members, to take a strong stance when we believe advertisements are misleading consumers about the safety and high quality of bottled water products. We believe that the settlement is a fair resolution, which stops advertisements that undermine our mission of promoting the safe and enjoyable bottled water products customers have been enjoying for years.”

Doug Kellam, President of ZeroWater, commented that, “ZeroWater’s mission is to deliver the best gravity-fed water filtration possible to consumers through its patented 5-stage ion exchange filter. An amicable solution to the litigation made sense to us as ZeroWater has no interest in questioning the image or quality of bottled water.”

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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.