Dedi Mulyadi Surprised About AQUA Water Source, Danone Indonesia: From A Protected Acquisitioner, Not Surface Water

JAKARTA - The management of Danone Indonesia has finally raised its voice in response to the public spotlight regarding the AQUA bottled water source which was widely discussed after uploading the YouTube content of the Governor of West Java, Dedi Mulyadi.

In a written statement, Danone Indonesia emphasized that the water used came from a protected mountain water source, not surface water.

"AQUA water comes from 19 mountain water sources spread throughout Indonesia. Each source is selected through a rigorous selection process involving nine scientific criteria and five stages of evaluation, with a minimum study of one year," Danone management wrote in an official statement, Wednesday, October 22.

Danone also ensured that the water source was taken from the deep aquifer with a depth of between 60 and 140 meters, not from shallow groundwater.

"Not from surface water or shallow groundwater," said management.

Water from akuifer, continued Danone, is naturally protected by a waterproof layer so that it is free from contamination from human activity. Some point sources are even self-flowing or naturally flowing without pumping.

Danone ensured that the process of selecting and monitoring water sources was carried out by a team of cross-disciplinary experts involving the fields of geology, hydrogeology, geophysics, and microbiology.

"This akuifer is naturally protected by a waterproof layer, so it is free from contamination from human activities and does not interfere with the use of water from the surrounding community," the management wrote.

Danone Indonesia also said that the results of the hydrogeological studies of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) and Padjadjaran University (Unpad) showed that AQUA water sources did not intersect with the water used by the surrounding community.

Citing a video uploaded on the @KANDEDIMULYADICHANNEL YouTube channel belonging to the Governor of West Java, Dedi Mulyadi was seen reviewing the location of the AQUA trademark packaged mineral water source collection.

Dedi started by asking the origin of the water source used as raw material for production by the company.

"Take the water from the river?" asked Dedi to one of the company's staff at the location.

The staff briefly answered the question, "The water is from underground, sir."

Dedi then reiterated whether the water came from the drilled groundwater. He also asked further whether the water collection had an impact on land shifts.

"It won't affect the shift in the ground? This (takes) the water to be drilled. I thought it was from the surface water. From river water or springs. Does that mean the category is a deep pump well?," asked Dedi.

"Oh, this is not water (which comes) from the spring, right?" continued Dedi.

Land in sir, replied one of the company's staff.