Since 1845 Poland Spring Water has led the way and now in 2016 it is the #1 selling spring water brand in the country.

Written by Mark Dubois

As a Natural Resource Manager and Certified Geologist for Poland Spring, I spend much of my time studying what happens beneath our feet. For most people, that probably doesn’t too exciting, but I enjoy studying the earth and natural resources like water. I consider myself lucky to work with a rapidly-renewable re-source and raise a family in my home state of Maine. In particular, I research water and appre-ciate the science behind this refreshing, rapidly renewable natural resource. The water that Poland Spring harvests comes from eight springs across Maine, each possessing a taste and mineral composition similar to where Poland Spring started in Poland, Maine. We use only a fraction of groundwater available in a local watershed; in fact, on an annual basis, all of Poland Spring’s water sources combined use less than one percent annually of all water used in Maine. Or to put it another way, our annual withdrawal state-wide represents approximately 10% of the water that evaporates off of Sebago Lake during a hot summer month. For more than 170 years, natural spring water has been bottled and enjoyed by consumers across Maine and throughout the northeast. I am happy to say that Poland Spring is the #1-selling spring water brand in the country. That’s a record that makes me particularly proud and should make other Mainers proud, too.

Much of Poland Spring’s success is tied to healthy decisions consumers make by replacing sugary drinks with water. Because demand for our product has grown, we take particular care producing a crisp, fresh taste of Maine in every bottle. At Poland Spring, we understand that our label represents all that is great about Maine, and we take our responsibility to represent Maine’s rich natural resources very seriously.

As consumer demand continues to grow, we are actively exploring our options to sustainably meet that demand through expansion and increased investment in Maine. This exploration doesn’t hap-pen by chance. It is grounded in sound science. Our Hydrogeologists are continuously researching potential spring sources in the state, though few have the characteristics to be evaluated in earnest. For example, we are currently working with the Rumford Water District to evaluate a potential spring source in that town.

We have initiated a testing phase to assess the quantity, quality and chemistry of the water, as well as its flow. When our researchis completed this fall, we will share our findings with the community and deter-mine whether we can sustainably source water from the site. As with all of our water sources, we only continuing work-ing on those sites that can meet Poland Spring’s high quality standards and allow us to meet Maine’s exacting groundwater regulations.

Our company is committed to making our home state a great place to live and work. To do that, we lead by example through sponsorships, donations and volunteering efforts. Many of these efforts take place in this community’s backyard. Poland Spring understands the importance of being a good neighbor, and it is why we’ve paid particular attention to supporting community groups that impact education, conservation and the environment. Over 100,000 students – including students from the Lewiston/Auburn area – have participated in environmental education programs through curricula and funding supported by Poland Spring. In addition, Poland Spring has had the distinct privilege of working with local organizations like Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program, Androscoggin River Watershed Council and The Dempsey Center, to name a few, and looks forward to building new relationships to keep these communities strong.

My enthusiasm for our product and our company – which is comprised of over 800 hardworking Mainers – is abundant. I enjoy what I do, and appreciate working for Poland Spring. Over 170 years is a long time for any company to be around, especially in a place like Maine. I can’t wait to see what Poland Spring will continue to do for this great state and its customers in the future!