Denman Island fine spring water delivered to your door
Denman Island fine spring water delivered to your door
A Denman local brings a new service to the islands with his bottled fine spring water, sustainably harvested and delivered to your door!
Steve Christensen, at home on his Denman Island property with pal Olive, has started a new service, delivering his premium quality Denman Water to your door on Denman and Hornby Islands. Photo by Mike Romanchuk.
For years, when friends and relatives visited Steve Christensen’s Point Road home on Denman Island, they would rave about the fantastic drinking water that came right out of the tap.
“Guests would say ‘your water is amazing – you should sell it!’,” says Steve.
It turns out that fine water connoisseurs agree, that his water source is sustainable, and that there is a local demand. So, in March 2021 he officially launched The Denman Island Water Company, a micro water company that delivers 18.9 L (5 gallon) bottles of local spring water to residents on Denman and Hornby Islands.
“I’m excited about it, the response has been positive,” said Steve. “There is a need for this service.”
The timing is right for customers of Robin Anderson’s Dewdrop Water on Denman Island, who announced their last delivery as March 31st.
Sustainable water source
The road from water source to water service took a few years of planning, consultations, and certification as Steve wanted to ensure he could provide water in an ethical and sustainable way.
“I realize talking about water on a Gulf Island means being sensitive to water shortages.”
Availability of and access to drinking water is a challenge on many Gulf Islands, and there are areas of Denman and Hornby Island with water shortages. There are also areas on both islands where the water is considered fine to drink but it has a sulfurous odor and taste.
“One of the reasons that we bought this property back in 2011 was because there was really good water and lots of it,” says Steve.
The water comes from an underground stream on the property where it is the last stop on a high bank of Komas Bluffs before it flows into the ocean – meaning it doesn’t affect any other property’s water supply. The low-impact production facility collects a small volume of water daily and packages it in nature-friendly containers.
“I wanted to be diligent in getting the proper approvals,” he says. He received the provincial water license about 18 months ago, which included a hydrology survey. “They make sure you’re not taking too much. The amount of water we bottle per day is equivalent to one day of an average household’s water use.”
He also received the required Food Safe certification from Island Health.
Premium quality spring water
Steve says Denman Water is a naturally alkaline (pH of 7.2-7.4), premium quality spring water. Last year he shared water sample analysis results with experts in the water industry, from equipment manufacturers to water sommeliers. “The feedback on the water quality was incredibly positive.”
He is also looking into possibilities of smaller volume bottles for camping and hiking and is investigating compostable fibre-based bottles.
Committed to service
But right now, Steve’s priority is getting the word out about his service.
He is committed to friendly, helpful service. He will bring the water bottles to your doorstep or even bring it in to set on your water cooler, if a full water bottle is too heavy for a customer.
Steve is familiar with bringing good service the islands and has met many residents, as he spent the past several years installing local Xplornet internet services. A dog lover with two of his own, he’s happy to meet your household companion on his deliveries.
Order online or by phone
Online ordering is easy at denmanwater.ca where you can order one time delivery or subscribe to a weekly, monthly or custom delivery. Deliveries to Denman and Hornby are on Tuesdays. 18.L bottles are $10 each plus a $10 bottle deposit. You can also call 250-228-7161 or email info@denmanwater.ca to order. Follow @DenmanWater on Facebook for up-to-date information.
Written by Trish Weatherall
Published in The Islands Grapevine, April 8, 2021
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