Tibet Glacier Mineral Water Co. Ltd. is the very first company to have succeeded in bottling mineral water from the glaciers of a Tibetan spring that is located at an elevation of 5,100 meters above sea level north of Lhasa in Tibet, China. The Danish consulting company ALECTIA has carried out an investigation and site audit, including collection and analysis of water samples.

Tibet Glacier Mineral Water Co. Ltd. extracts, treats, bottles and sells natural mineral water from the Qumanong springs located at an elevation of approximately 5,100 meters above sea level in a snowy glacial area north of Lhasa in Tibet, China. Therefore, the name of their exclusive mineral water is “5100”.

ALECTIA has carried out a site audit and a subsequent analysis regarding natural mineral water production on the Tibet Glacier Mineral Water Co. Ltd.

The flow from the Qumanong springs varies during the year. Based on measurements the maximum extractable volume sets to more than one million m³ per year. In 2009, a total of approximately 63,000 m³ natural mineral water was produced from the spring. Tibet Glacier Mineral Water Co. Ltd. wishes to increase production in the future to approximately 400,000 m³ per year. There is clearly an adequate water resource available for this increase.

High quality and exclusive water
Tibet Glacier Mineral Water Co. Ltd. wants to compete with the leading water companies in the world. Therefore, it is essential to have water samples evaluated and tested in a European laboratory and to test whether the water treatment and the final product fulfills the limits set by the European mineral water directive. Among other things, this is where ALECTIAs expertise is setting in.

The treated water is also in compliance with the bacterial and chemical limit values given in the European natural mineral water regulations. In order to be considered mineral water, the treated water must contain at least a specified amount of certain minerals, and the “5100” water contains more than enough to be considered so.

The future collaboration
Tibet Glacier Mineral Water Co. Ltd. has asked ALECTIA to undertake an investigation and site audit in order to document the present operations. ALECTIA has come up with a number of recommendations for the future of Tibet Glacier Mineral Water Co. Ltd. and a program for frequent QA audits has been established.