Certs

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=92 BGCOLOR="#111111" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#33CCFF" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><B>Seven  Creeks  Roadside  Spring Water</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Seven Creeks Roadside Spring Water"><B>home</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id595.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="To Governor">To Governor</A>   |   <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Us">About Us</A>   |   <A HREF="id203.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Visitor Pix">Visitor Pix</A>   |   <B>Certs</B>   |   <A HREF="id177.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Buy">Buy</A>   |   <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Watershed">Watershed</A>   |   <A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Xtreme Golf ">Xtreme Golf </A>   |   <A HREF="id375.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Locals">Locals</A>   |   <A HREF="id427.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Health ">Health </A>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact/Links">Contact/Links</A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Water">Our Water</A>   |   <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Stuff">Stuff</A>   |   <A HREF="id53.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Other ">Other </A>   |   <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FAQ">FAQ</A>   |   <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Latest / Map">Latest / Map</A>   |   <A HREF="id126.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Spotlight">Spotlight</A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#111111" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> Here is some information for those of you who would like to operate or own a roadside spring. If there is enough interest let us know and we would be willing to spearhead a non-profit organization for certifying roadside springs. </div> <div> <A HREF="id696_m.htm#history" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Certs">History</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id696_m.htm#purpose" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Certs">Purpose</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id696_m.htm#spring_certification" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Certs">Spring Certification</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id696_m.htm#vending_machine_certification" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Certs">Vending Machine Certification</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id696_m.htm#procedures" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Certs">Procedures</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id696_m.htm#business_stuff" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Certs">Buisiness Stuff</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id696_m.htm#marketing" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Certs">Marketing</A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=388 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#111111" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <I>Certs</I></div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="history"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>History</div> <div> For six years since 1998 Seven Creeks Roadside Spring was licensed by the Ohio Department of Agriculture as a self-serve bottle water operation. In 2004,  the jurisdiction of the roadside spring was transferred to the Ohio EPA and Health Department. The subsequent meetings and correspondence with the regulating officials made it painfully clear that the state agencies were unaware of unique differences between springs and their normal sources for public water like wells and surface waters such as lakes and rivers and as a result categorized springs as surface water requiring costly and unnecessary surface water treatment systems such as those used for large public water systems using lakes or rivers. As a result we decided to add a section to our web page to help those interested in using and operating roadside springs. </div> <div>  <A NAME="purpose"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>Purpose</div> <div> To help those interested in using and operating roadside springs. If there is enough interest we would eventually like to form a non profit association for roadside springs which could provide information and be used to certify roadside springs.</div> <div>  <A NAME="spring_certification"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>Spring Certification</div> <div> First, ensure you have a spring and determine if it's location will keep the water protected.</div> <div> The FDA has identified the different <A HREF="id444_the_fda_also_classifies_some_bottled.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bottled Water: Better than the Tap?">water classifications</A>, such as well, artesian well, spring, etc which should be used as a starting point to determine that your water meets the spring water classification. You will need this in order to market your water correctly. You cannot use well water and call it spring water without violating FDA labeling rules for interstate commerce.</div> <div> Once you have decided your water does meet the spring water classification, look around to determine if there is anything that could affect your water. Is it next to an industrial facility where chemicals may have leaked onto the ground? Is there a cemetary nearby which can leach embalming fluid? Are there abandoned mines nearby filled with water draining into your spring? How far are you from the nearest septic tank system? These are things you can do before you decide to proceed any further. </div> <div> Once you feel that your spring is protected you should then contact the EPA and  Health Department for your state and determine what additional requirements you have to meet in order to classify your water as spring water and use it for drinking water. The water will have also to be tested for all of the organic and inorganic chemicals per the latest EPA requirements.</div> <div> For instance, in Ohio untill 2004, the Ohio Department of Agriculture Food Safety Division, which regulates botttled water was responsible for a self serve roadside spring. When contacted, they requested the EPA to inspect and certify the spring water, which included a water test of the organic and inorganic chemicals.  First the EPA tested and approved the spring water. We then researched the latest water treatment systems, contacted manufactureres and worked with the government agencies to prepare plans for the Department of Agriculture's review.  With  their agreement we began to enclose the spring, install tanks and piping and a  vending machine to dispense the water into the customers jugs. All of the material contacting the water had to be acceptable for potable water systems. After we had completed construction, the Department of Agriculture performed a final inspection and provided us with a license and required us to perform two bacteria water tests a month and an annual water test for chemical contaminants. </div> <div>  <A NAME="vending_machine_certification"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>Vending Machine Certification</div> <div> All of the materials used for fabrication must be acceptable for use with drinking water. Select material that meets the NSF for drinking water or FDA requirements for food products or material acceptable such as stainless steel or aluminum 1000. You should have drawings or sketches of anything that is built and certification or manufacturers catalog data identifying it as being acceptable for food or drinking water.</div> <div> The National Automatic Mechandising Association (NAMA) Construction Standard Section 900 can be used to construct the water vending machine. We suggest the following changes be included if natural spring water is used. </div> <div> 1. Provide two absolute rated filters in series  with a 1 micron rating or less.</div> <div>  2. Increase UV light intensity to 40,000 micro seconds per square centimeter to inactivate cysts.</div> <div> 3. Install an ozone generator at the dispensing nozzle to keep it disinfected.</div> <div>  <A NAME="procedures"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>Procedures</div> <div> You will need to develop operation and maintenance procedures for anything that needs to be done.  Some prodedures will be based on the equipment manufacturer's instructions. Most however will be based on common sense. You should also keep log books of maintnance performed and and major problems you have.</div> <div>  <A NAME="business_stuff"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00FF00" FACE="Arial" >Business Stuff</FONT></div> <div> You should also decide how you are going to operate your roadside spring. If it is going to be a separate business these are some of the questions you will have to answer.  Are you going to make it an S corporation of Limited Liability Corporation? Are you going to obtain insurance. Are you going to hire someone to do the work and if so what are the wage deductions you have to make? </div> <div>  <A NAME="marketing"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>Marketing</div> <div> Naturally if you are planning on making money from your spring, you should determine at the beginning who do you expect to buy your water, how much they will buy, and what will they pay? Who is your competition? What if you don't get the customers you had planned on, what else can you do? Your marketing decisions need not be entirely based on the numbers, but you should definitely try to do a little marketing before you make any decisions.  </div> </td> </tr></table></body>