Nestlé Waters: banned treatments and the Vittel aquifer deficit
- Bacteriological contamination was seen in the wells at Perrier and others, according to the Senate's 2025 report. Maire-info
A 2025 French Senate report said Nestlé Waters used prohibited treatments on water sold as natural mineral water and that the state concealed it. In 2024 the company closed investigations into the treatments and illegal drilling with a €2 million judicial public-interest agreement.
Plus €1.1 million for restoration. Nestlé Waters' turnover over the period is not known.
Status As of May 2025: the September 2024 agreement closed the prosecution; a Senate report said the state concealed the treatments; no later proceedings are in the record.
- Nestlé Waters — Closed investigations into the treatments and illegal drilling for €2 million plus €1.1 million for restoration, and kept the natural mineral water label. Le Club des Juristes
- Consumers — Bought water sold as natural mineral water that had been treated with prohibited methods. Maire-info
- The Vittel aquifer — Ran a deficit of about 1.3 million cubic metres a year. French Senate
What happened
Nestlé Waters sells Perrier, Vittel and Hépar, among other brands, as natural mineral water in France. A French Senate report in 2025 documented that the company had applied prohibited treatments to water sold under this label: ultraviolet treatment and activated-carbon filtering. The report also recorded bacteriological contamination at Perrier's wells and others.
In September 2024 Nestlé Waters closed investigations into the banned treatments and into illegal drilling by concluding a convention judiciaire d'intérêt public (CJIP), a judicial public-interest agreement. It paid a fine of €2 million and €1.1 million for restoration. The prosecution was closed and the natural mineral water label was retained.
In May 2025 the Senate report said the French state had concealed the treatments at the highest level and that the Élysée had known since 2022, The Local reported.
Separately, French National Assembly (2018) and Senate (2023) records put the yearly deficit of the Vittel aquifer at about 1.3 million cubic metres.
- 2018French National Assembly record on the Vittel aquifer deficit
- 2021Start of the period the record covers for the banned treatments
- 2022The Élysée knew of the treatments, according to the 2025 Senate report
- 2023French Senate record on the Vittel aquifer deficit of about 1.3 million m³ a year
- 2024September: Nestlé Waters closes investigations into banned treatments and illegal drilling with a €2 million CJIP and €1.1 million for restoration
- 2025May: Senate report says the state concealed the treatments at the highest level
How it looked
Shown
- Water sold as “natural mineral water” under the Perrier, Vittel and Hépar labels.Nestlé Waters · The Local
Recorded
- Water labelled natural mineral water was treated with prohibited ultraviolet and activated-carbon filtering (Perrier, Vittel, Hépar).
- Bacteriological contamination was observed at Perrier's wells and others (2025 Senate report).
- Nestlé Waters closed investigations into the banned treatments and illegal drilling with a €2 million CJIP and €1.1 million for restoration (September 2024).
- The Senate report said the state concealed the treatments at the highest level and that the Élysée had known since 2022.
- The natural mineral water label was retained.
- The Vittel aquifer ran a deficit of about 1.3 million cubic metres a year (French National Assembly 2018, Senate 2023).
Who gained
Reached nature or the ground
Gained elsewhere
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
- 2024-09Settled€2000bn Fine (amende); a further €1.1 million for restorationNestlé Waters judicial public-interest agreement (CJIP)French judicial authorities (court not named in the record) · Criminal · French public prosecution → Nestlé Waters
Nestlé Waters closed investigations into banned water treatments and illegal drilling with a CJIP, a judicial public-interest agreement. The prosecution was closed. Le Club des Juristes
Insurers
What nature saw
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
What we don't know
Record
- None on record Nestlé Waters' turnover over the period is not known, so the €2 million fine cannot be compared with its earnings from the water.
- None on record The extent of contamination at the sources is not known.
- None on record Personal penalties for individuals: no data in the record.
Did the harm stop?
The record shows the investigations were closed through the September 2024 agreement and the label retained; it does not state when the prohibited treatments ended.
Who paid?
Nestlé Waters paid the €2 million fine and €1.1 million for restoration. The record names consumers, and trust in inspections, as those affected, and gives no figure for any cost to them.
Sources
Government and regulators
- Vittel aquifer deficit (French Senate written question; National Assembly and Senate records)French Senate · 2018/2023
Press and investigations
- French state covered up Nestlé water scandal, Senate report findsThe Local · 2025-05-19
Connected cases
- Nestlé settles French bottled-water probe as Vittel aquifer runs a deficit France · 2018 Related matter
- Nestlé Waters (Company) — here: Producer of Perrier, Vittel and Hépar; party to the CJIP; there: Operator of Perrier and Vittel bottled water; paid the 2024 CJIP fine