Why is ozone used in bottled water production?

Ozone is used in bottled water because it disinfects the product water, the filler, the bottles and the bottling-line surfaces — and then reverts to oxygen, so there is no taste or chemical residue left in the finished product. It is the standard primary disinfection method for premium bottled-water producers worldwide.

Does ozone affect bottled water taste?

No — properly dosed ozone reverts to oxygen before bottling, leaving no taste, smell or residue. In fact ozone is often chosen specifically because it preserves the natural mineral character of spring water in a way that chlorine cannot.

What ozone residual is used in bottled water?

Typical practice is to leave a small dissolved-ozone residual at the filler so the bottle and headspace are also disinfected, then allow the residual to decay naturally before the product reaches the consumer. Exact set-points depend on the product, source water and regulatory framework — our designs include the monitoring and control needed to keep this in the correct window.

How does ozone help control bacteria in bottling lines?

Beyond disinfecting the product water itself, ozonated water is widely used for clean-in-place (CIP) of tanks, pipework, fillers and bottles — replacing or supplementing chlorinated sanitisers. Because there is no chemical residue to rinse out, ozone CIP can shorten changeovers and reduce water use.

What is bromate and why does it matter?

Bromate (BrO₃⁻) is a regulated by-product that can form when ozone reacts with bromide ions in some source waters. Drinking-water and bottled-water regulations limit bromate to 10 µg/L. Bromate-controlled designs manage ozone dose, contact time and pH so disinfection targets are met while bromate stays below the limit — we routinely engineer bottled-water systems with this constraint in mind.

Can ozone be integrated into existing bottling plants?

Yes — most bottled-water ozone installations are retrofits. We work to the existing process flow, PLC and physical footprint, and integrate the generator, contactor, destruct and monitoring as a self-contained skid where space allows. Talk to us at /contact and see /case-studies for bottling-plant reference work.

Ozone Technologies Ltd

Bottled Water Ozone Treatment

Name: Ozone Technologies Ltd
Address: 22B Turner Place, Onekawa, Napier, Hawke's Bay, 4110, NZ
Telephone: +64 6 8432881
Price range: $$$$

End-to-end ozone treatment plants for New Zealand bottled water producers

Bottled water is one of the most demanding water-treatment applications in the world. The product must be microbiologically perfect at fill, with no detectable pathogens, no chemical residue, no taste or odour issues, and bromate concentrations below the strict 10 µg/L regulatory limit — every bottle, every shift, year after year. Ozone Technologies Ltd has been the partner of choice for New Zealand's leading bottled-water producers — including Coca-Cola Amatil (PUMP), New Zealand Quality Waters, Oravida and Tongariro Spring Water — for more than two decades. We design and build complete bore-to-bottle treatment systems with ozone disinfection at the core.

Why ozone for bottled water?

Bottled-water producers can't use chlorine — it leaves a residual chemical taste that destroys the product. UV alone provides no residual protection in the storage and filling stages, leaving the bottle vulnerable to post-UV contamination. Ozone solves both problems: it is the most powerful practical disinfectant available, provides a short-lived residual (15–30 minutes) that protects the water through the fill stage, and then completely reverts to oxygen leaving the product genuinely pure. Ozone also oxidises iron, manganese, hydrogen sulphide and taste-and-odour compounds — common issues with deep-bore source waters. For natural mineral and spring water producers, ozone is the only disinfection method that meets the global regulatory definition of preserving the natural character of the water.

The bromate challenge

Bromate (BrO₃⁻) is a regulated by-product formed when ozone oxidises bromide ions naturally present in some source waters. International limits — including the WHO, EU, US EPA and New Zealand limits — set the maximum bromate concentration in bottled water at 10 µg/L. Some markets (notably Germany) enforce even tighter limits. The challenge: bromate forms more readily at higher pH, higher ozone concentration and longer contact times — exactly the conditions you want for effective disinfection. Our proprietary process design philosophy minimises bromate formation by using lower applied ozone doses, very short and well-controlled contact times in dedicated process-control contactors, and (where source water bromide is high) pre-treatment options including pH depression and dissolved-organic-carbon optimisation. The Coca-Cola Amatil PUMP plant achieves bromate below 4 µg/L — well under the regulatory limit and below the detection limit of most laboratory methods.

The complete bore-to-bottle process

A bottled-water treatment train designed by us typically includes: source-water assessment and aquifer characterisation; pre-filtration (multimedia or ultrafiltration depending on raw water); ozone disinfection in a process-controlled contactor with precision ozone-to-water ratio; CT-value-monitored contact tank with dissolved-ozone measurement at multiple points; ozone destruct (thermal or catalytic) on residual gas and any off-gas; final polishing (typically GAC or UV) to remove the last traces of residual ozone before fill; CIP (clean-in-place) system using ozonated water at 2–10 ppm for tanks, lines and fillers; full microbiological monitoring loop; and SCADA-integrated data logging for traceability and audit. Every element is designed as a single integrated system — not bolted together from separate vendors.

Compliance, audit and quality assurance

Bottled-water producers face audits from multiple bodies: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) under the Animal Products Act and the Food Act, customer-led BRC / SQF / FSSC 22000 audits, and (for major brands like Coca-Cola Amatil) the brand-owner's own globally-aligned quality programme. Every system we deliver includes complete documentation — process flow diagram, P&ID, ozone-demand calculation, CT-value report, validation testing protocol, microbial challenge testing where required, calibration certificates for every analyser, and a full O&M manual mapped to HACCP critical control points. We're regularly invited to brand-owner audits and have a 100% record of our installed plants passing audit on first inspection.

The Coca-Cola Amatil PUMP project

Our reference installation is the Coca-Cola Amatil bottled-water plant manufacturing the PUMP brand — one of the highest-uptime bottling facilities in New Zealand. Our scope included the complete ozone treatment train, the ozone destruct unit, all process instrumentation, the control system and ongoing service. The plant achieves bromate concentration over 40% below the regulatory limit, delivers in-spec water within 30 seconds of start-up, and has run for years with minimal scheduled downtime. The project demonstrates what's possible when a bottled-water producer chooses an ozone supplier who understands the full lifecycle — from aquifer to brand audit — rather than just selling boxes.

Key benefits

What you can expect from a Bottled Water Ozone Treatment project with Ozone Technologies.

Bromate concentration <4 µg/L achievable (regulatory limit 10 µg/L)
30-second start-up to in-spec product on every shift
Complete bore-to-bottle process design
MPI, BRC, SQF, FSSC 22000 and brand-owner audit-ready
Integrated ozone destruct and residual polishing
Ozonated-water CIP for tanks, lines and fillers (2–10 ppm)
Microbiological monitoring and data logging for traceability
References: Coca-Cola Amatil, NZQW, Oravida, Tongariro
Natural mineral / spring water character preserved
Designed in Napier, supported nationwide, lifetime partnership

Quick answers

Common questions

Why is ozone used in bottled water production?: Ozone is used in bottled water because it disinfects the product water, the filler, the bottles and the bottling-line surfaces — and then reverts to oxygen, so there is no taste or chemical residue left in the finished product. It is the standard primary disinfection method for premium bottled-water producers worldwide.
Does ozone affect bottled water taste?: No — properly dosed ozone reverts to oxygen before bottling, leaving no taste, smell or residue. In fact ozone is often chosen specifically because it preserves the natural mineral character of spring water in a way that chlorine cannot.
What ozone residual is used in bottled water?: Typical practice is to leave a small dissolved-ozone residual at the filler so the bottle and headspace are also disinfected, then allow the residual to decay naturally before the product reaches the consumer. Exact set-points depend on the product, source water and regulatory framework — our designs include the monitoring and control needed to keep this in the correct window.
How does ozone help control bacteria in bottling lines?: Beyond disinfecting the product water itself, ozonated water is widely used for clean-in-place (CIP) of tanks, pipework, fillers and bottles — replacing or supplementing chlorinated sanitisers. Because there is no chemical residue to rinse out, ozone CIP can shorten changeovers and reduce water use.
What is bromate and why does it matter?: Bromate (BrO₃⁻) is a regulated by-product that can form when ozone reacts with bromide ions in some source waters. Drinking-water and bottled-water regulations limit bromate to 10 µg/L. Bromate-controlled designs manage ozone dose, contact time and pH so disinfection targets are met while bromate stays below the limit — we routinely engineer bottled-water systems with this constraint in mind.
Can ozone be integrated into existing bottling plants?: Yes — most bottled-water ozone installations are retrofits. We work to the existing process flow, PLC and physical footprint, and integrate the generator, contactor, destruct and monitoring as a self-contained skid where space allows. Talk to us at /contact and see /case-studies for bottling-plant reference work.

More background: case studies · about Ozone Technologies · contact an engineer.

Get expert advice on your bottled water ozone treatment project

Tell us about your application and we'll come back to you within one business day with a tailored response from one of our engineers.

+64 6 8432881 info@ozonenz.comNapier, New Zealand