NYS Health Department Certification
Every bottled or bulk water sold in New York has to clear the same state program — this is what that means, and how to verify it yourself.
New York requires certification for any bottled or bulk water sold, offered for sale, or delivered for human consumption in the state. The standard is set out in Subpart 5-6 of the State Sanitary Code, under Section 225 of the Public Health Law — and it applies the same way whether the bottler is a small, family-run spring or one of the multinational brands on the same list.
Certification isn't a one-time form. The process starts with an engineering review of the source and the bottling facility, then requires annual water-quality analysis of the source and an annual inspection — carried out by the New York State Department of Health, the county health department, or a state-approved third party. Avoca Spring Water holds NYSHD Cert. #486, current on the New York State list of certified facilities.
The list itself is a long one — most of the names on it are bottlers for Nestlé, Coca-Cola, and Pepsi. Avoca's entry sits among them, inspected under the identical set of rules. Certification isn't a claim about whose water is better; it's confirmation that the source, the facility, and the process have all been checked and hold up.
The certified-facility list is public record. You can look up NYSHD Cert. #486 directly on the New York State Department of Health website.
Questions about the certification or an inspection report? Call 607-566-8408.
