Protecting the spring

Perrier and its spring owe everything to nature...that's why it's protected for all time. The goal? To safeguard natural conditions in the soil and sub-soil so as to preserve Perrier's original properties.

Many studies have been done - in collaboration with the Institut national de la recherche agronomique (INRA; national institute for agricultural research) - to monitor the spring's hydro-mineral deposit. Today, Perrier has planted and maintains some 1,235 acres to preserve the environment around the spring and act as a natural filter for the water. Besides systematically buying back the land surrounding the spring over the past 30 years, Perrier has established agricultural guidelines for its intervention perimeter. As a result, farmers and growers in the 8,650 adjacent acres can now label their produce ‘organically grown'. Use of synthetic chemical products is prohibited on produce bearing the label, be it grapes, olives, cereal grains, or fruit and vegetables. Ecological measures are certified by a third party responsible for constant monitoring of compliance with the guidelines.

The Perrier spring tills some 500 acres on its organic farm. In parallel, Perrier has set up a scientific monitoring and advisory program for farmers, supplementing the guidelines with the latest research data and best practices for the site's surroundings.