The Fine Water Society was founded in 2008 by Jan Bender (Iskilde)  Michael Mascha (FineWaters) and Steve Rowe (Wawali).

A select group of the top 50 premium water producers, distributors and sommeliers were invited to the first Fine Water Society Summit in Barcelona because of their commitment to quality - all passionate water authorities with a pursuit of excellence.

After many separate conversations the group concluded that, if small producers & distributors combine efforts and resources in a portfolio approach the awareness of the “fine water category” could be raised significantly.

The overwhelming consensus of the survey conducted after the Summit in Vidago was that we needed to take the next step and formalize the society. The following structure will form the basis of The Fine Water Society.

To become a member of the Fine Water Society:

1) Download the Membership form sign it and send it to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . If approved you will receive a membership invitation. Then please use the button below to pay for the membership fee to subscribe to the Fine Water Society.

2) Please use the button below to pay for the membership to the Fine Water Society ($150/year)

3) Enjoy the bennefits of the Membership (see below)

The Fine Water Society Charter

What defines a fine water?

- Fine Waters are special, they reflect their source’s terroir and origin and it makes these waters unique.
 
- a Fine Water comes from a single, well defined source.
 
- a Fine Water producer has no higher aim than to transport the experience of “drinking the water at the source” to wherever the consumer chooses to open the bottle.
 
- Fine Water labeling should be honest and transparent giving the consumer the confidence of knowing that the provenance and integrity of the water is as it claims.
 
- Fine Waters are natural products, bottled in a sustainable symbiosis with the natural and social environment surrounding the source and its catchment area.

-the Fine Water Society’s aim is to create an inclusive group of like minded bottlers, distributors and partners who support the ideas of the charter and actively use their influence to pursue them in society in general and in their own companies in particular

 - all the bottlers, distributors and partners of the Fine Water Society should be above reproach- members need to earn the respect and attention from the consumer, the public and their fellow members by their good business practices and their attention to quality. Failure to do so will revoke membership.

There will be three Levels of Membership

a) “Fine Water Bottler” 
Criteria
-a single source brand with provenance, integrity and authenticity
-the brand must be considered in the small/super premium niche in the global market*
- the brand must subscribe to the ideas of the charter and be comfortable with-in a portfolio of other premium waters
-most fine waters who fit this niche are clearly identified if there is any doubt- special consideration from the membership committee will be required before membership is accepted

b) “Fine Water Distributor”
Criteria
Distribution companies that represent at least one Fine Water Bottler.
Note: if the distributor loses representation and has no fine water bottler in their portfolio membership will not be renewed.

c) “Fine Water Partner”
These are individuals or associated businesses who are invited to join after special consideration from the membership committee.
e.g. Media, health organizations, water organizations, consultants, sommeliers etc.
Note: membership may not be renewed if there becomes a conflict of interest with the Fine Water Society.

Cost
The annual membership is US$150.00 and allows one representative from each company to be nominated to represent the member.

Benefits
Fine Water Society members have the right to:
- use the logo that denotes their membership
- attend the yearly FWS summits
- access a restricted Fine Waters Forum for communication amongst the group 
- receive regular newsletters

The Fine water Society Structure
Members: 
are bottlers, distributors and partners who have been invited,accepted and have paid the membership fee.

Executive Committee:
Michael Mascha: Honorable Chairman- Membership, PR, Annual Summits
Jan Bender - Administration
Michael Tanousis- Special Interest Groups
Simon Woolley- Marketing and Merchandizing

Membership Committee / Guardians of the Virtue:
Headed by Michael Mascha, the Executive Committee (until a Membership Committee is formed at the next Summit) is to judge whether an applicant is to be permitted a membership. Bottlers, distributors and partners will either be invited to join or will need to be sponsored by a paid-up member.
To sponsor a new member a member will need to instruct Michael Mascha to send an application form to the applicant. 
The applicant will need to fill out the form and submit it for approval to the 
Membership Committee.
Once approved the application form will be forwarded to administrator, who will email payment instruction to the applicant, when payment has been received the administrator will add all the applicants data into the Membership database.
A renewal notice/ invoice will be sent to member 2 weeks before expiry of their membership if payment has not been received one week after expiry a late fee will be charged if 4 weeks after the expiration date payment has not been received the membership is terminated.

Summits
The location will be decided at the annual summit for the following year and arranged by regional members of the selected location under the guidance of Michael Mascha.
 
Administration
Jan Bender will maintain the Register of Members collect membership fees and transfers funds as directed by the Executive Committee.

Special Interest Groups
To be formed under Michael Tanousis guidance to cover the following subjects:
-The development of empirically based system for categorizing taste and mouth feel of water, using the collection of scientific information on water-tasting and data on taste synergies between misc. beverages/ foods and different water
-Lobbying for uniform international legal regulations for the classification of bottled waters
-Establishing a collective marketing program to cover:
PR and promotional activities
A Fine Waters Society website
A "24 Exceptional Sources"-book
-Establishing a collective distribution program for single point-of-purchase for small volume, multiband customers i.e. a small volume multiband logistics system- possibly under the development of the EGG model.

Marketing and Merchandizing
Simon Woolley to arrange the design and content of all marketing and merchandizing collateral for the Fine Water Society under the guidance of the Executive Committee

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