The North Texas Food Bank, which provided bottles for distribution to assist with recent impacts from a boil water notice, reports there is no limit to the shelf life of bottled water.

(Richardson, Texas) – Today, the City of Richardson was made aware that packages of bottled water at its Water Distribution Center were found to display a “best used by” date of March 2024. The water was donated by the North Texas Food Bank, which has assured the City the water remains safe for consumption, stating there are no health concerns associated with drinking bottled water past its printed date.

Statement from the North Texas Food Bank
“At the North Texas Food Bank, we are committed to the safety and well-being of our community by ensuring that every item we distribute meets strict quality standards. While some foods may still be safe to eat after their labeled expiration or “best by” dates, we carefully inspect all items and consult experts to confirm their safety. Similarly, bottled water may have an expiration date due to packaging, not the water itself, and we take measures to ensure it is safe and fresh for consumption.”

Replacement Water Available
The packages showing expired are from Members Mark, with an expiration date of March 2024. While the bottles are safe to drink, anyone wishing a new package of water can receive one from the Water Distribution Center.

Bottles Removed From Distribution
To address any future concerns, the City will no longer distribute any packaged water with a past expiration date at the water distribution site. It is not known how many of the bottles were distributed before being removed from inventory.

More information on the safety of bottled water can be found through the following websites:

U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Bottled Water Everywhere: Keeping it Safe | FDA
www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/bottled-water-everywhere-keeping-it-safe

US Department of Agriculture
Food Product Dating | Food Safety and Inspection Service
www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/food-product-dating

International Bottled Water Association
https://bottledwater.org/bottled-water-storage/#:~:text=The%20U.S.%20Food%20and%20Drug,sanitary%2C%20safety%2Dsealed%20containers