As Flint nears completion of multi-year, multi-million-dollar upgrade of water infrastructure and continues to gain public’s confidence in local water supply, Ice Mountain will aid transition by continuing seven-year effort through end of 2022.
Stanwood, Michigan – Yesterday, on June 6, BlueTriton Brands, Inc., through its Ice Mountain brand, pledged to extend supplies of its ICE MOUNTAIN® brand bottled water through the remainder of 2022 to Flint’s nonprofit relief centers that continue to serve residents impacted by the 2014 water crisis. BlueTriton will continue to maintain weekly donations of bottled water from its Stanwood, MI-based Ice Mountain bottling facility that began in 2018. BlueTriton also announced operational support for the United Way of Genesee County and Flint’s three Help Centers.
In addition to bottled water donations, BlueTriton Brands will contribute $60,000 to the United Way of Genesee County to support continued operations of Flint’s three nonprofit Help Centers – Asbury United Methodist Church, Bethel United Methodist Church and the Greater Holy Temple. The Help Centers also are receiving supplies of coupons for free multipacks of ICE MOUNTAIN® 100% Natural Spring water that can be used by families at local retailers.
“We admire the great work of the United Way of Genesee County and the Help Centers who steadfastly serve their community by putting our donations of safe drinking water into the hands of families in need,” said BTB Chief Sustainability Officer Ed Ferguson. “For 175 years our waters have stood for safe hydration and access to drinking water as we work to be a force for good for our communities and our planet. We are grateful for the opportunity to support the Help Centers’ critical work and to our Michigan Ice Mountain team that has kept their neighbors in Flint in the forefront of their work.”
Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley said, “I would like to thank Ice Mountain for their long-standing partnership and unwavering support for the residents of Flint during these past years. When the citizens of Flint needed access to safe and potable drinking water, the people of Ice Mountain responded immediately stepped forward and stuck with us.”
“The City has worked diligently to rebuild our local water infrastructure and gain the public’s confidence in the safety of our local water supply,” Mayor Neeley continued. “Ice Mountain has been our bridge to safe drinking water for nearly seven years.”
United Way of Genesee CEO Jamie Gaskin said, “Ice Mountain and BlueTriton’s sustained support throughout the water crisis is remarkable and deeply noted. Long after the height of the emergency passed, they have stood with us in our work to assist residents most in need.”
Bethel United Methodist Church Help Center Director Harold Woodson said, “Bethel United Methodist Church is indeed excited Ice Mountain and Blue Triton are continuing to partner with the Help Centers and the city of Flint so we can continue providing such an essential need to the people of Flint.”
The ICE MOUNTAIN® brand has a long history of emergency and disaster relief support — providing millions with access to safe bottled drinking water during natural disasters, municipal water system disruptions and public health crises. The Ice Mountain brand team’s work to assist the people of Flint during the Flint water crisis will span nearly seven years at the end of 2022.
In May 2018, the Ice Mountain brand team — in partnership with the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan — began donating 100,000 bottles of water per week to Flint’s three Help Centers for distribution to residents. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ice Mountain brand team increased its donations to further serve community residents. As of today, the Ice Mountain brand team has donated more than $5 million in bottled water to support the Flint community and delivered approximately 20 million bottles of water since 2018 alone.
In 2015 the Ice Mountain brand team began its relief response to the Flint water crisis delivering truckloads of bottled water initially. Between 2015 and 2018, the company partnered with major retailers and other beverage producers to provide bottled water to Flint schools and students, city parks and summer events, and helped lead a recycling awareness campaign.
Editor’s Note:
The City of Flint nears completion of four major multi-million-dollar water infrastructure projects. Information about the City’s water infrastructure projects can be found via the Progress Report on Flint Water. The State of Michigan recently announced Flint’s water system has entered its sixth consecutive year of compliance for lead in drinking water (in accordance with the Lead and Copper Rule standards established by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy as well as the Environmental Protection Agency).
About Ice Mountain® Brand
Ice Mountain® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water got its start thousands of years ago when the northern U.S. was covered in ice. As glaciers melted over time, they deposited thick sand and gravel aquifers, which naturally filter the groundwater. In some cases, this water flowed to the surface to create natural springs — springs Ice Mountain® Brand carefully selected as the sources of their drinking water. Ice Mountain® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water has naturally occurring electrolytes for a crisp taste, is sourced carefully from selected springs, and comes in recycled bottles. Find out more at www.icemountainwater.com
About BlueTriton Brands
BlueTriton Brands offers an extensive portfolio of highly recognizable, responsibly sourced, and sustainably packaged national spring water and national purified water brands including Poland Spring® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water, Deer Park® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water, Ozarka® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water, Ice Mountain® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water, Zephyrhills® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water, Arrowhead® Brand 100% Mountain Spring Water, AC+ION™ Alkaline Water, Saratoga® Natural Spring Water, Pure Life® 100% Purified Water, Splash Blast™ Flavored Water Beverage, Splash Fizz™ Flavored Sparkling Beverage and Splash NRG™ Flavored Sparkling Energy Water Beverage. The Company also owns and operates ReadyRefresh®, a customizable water and beverage delivery service that has been certified as a CarbonNeutral® business.
Based in Stamford, Connecticut BlueTriton Brands employs approximately 6,600 associates, inclusive of the US and Canada. BlueTriton Brands manages resources for long-term sustainability, and conserves more than 20,000 acres of watershed area. The Company has 27 production facilities across North America, 16 of which are Alliance for Water Stewardship (“AWS”) certified across 15 sites, with five of the certified facilities being AWS Platinum, the highest-level certification.
