Arabic version: منتجو شبه جزيرة يورك يدخلون سوق المياه الفاخرة

According to ABC News, Yorke Peninsula residents Damien Smith and Gretchen Scinta have launched a mineral water drawn from an underground aquifer beneath their South Australian property, entering a growing global market for premium water.

The couple bought the property in 2008 after Mr Smith moved to the rugged western coast of Yorke Peninsula for surfing. Freshwater crayfish in a back paddock prompted their interest in the aquifer, despite the property’s proximity to the ocean. They first used the water at home and for vegetables before testing it. Mr Smith said a water engineer described it as “a unicorn”, citing its mineral balance and isolated source.

The water comes from the Carribie Basin through a sealed extraction point. Mineral water must naturally contain soluble matter, although Australia has no specified minimum level. The couple move water through underground food-grade pipes to holding tanks, seeking to limit oxygen, light and temperature changes. It is then transported in bulk to a bottling plant near Adelaide rather than bottled on site.

Mr Smith said extraction levels are guided by government reports and engineers, while consumers are increasingly questioning sourcing and processing practices. The sector has faced scrutiny, including the 2024 public disclosure that Nestlé Waters in France had used prohibited treatment methods on contaminated water.

Carribie still water received 100 points from a judge at an international fine-water tasting event in Canada, while its sparkling water scored 99. In Adelaide, 2KW sommelier Dan McEvoy serves the water for $10 a bottle and said demand for non-alcoholic drinks, waters and mocktails was increasing as alcohol consumption declines.