Parched Economy Hurts Bottled Water Sales

By Jacqueline Sit, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Bottled water sales are falling flat in this recession, and the effects are trickling down to one metro company.

Hidden in a warehouse is a busy bottled water business, but the Eureka Water Company has seen better days.

"We've been here 100 years and our source is right here and we have a good brand name. My smaller competitors in this town I'm sure and across the country are feeling the squeeze," said Eureka Water Company CEO Steve Raupe.

Raupe said the parched economy is only a sip of the problem, bottled water is a luxury and a summer oriented business. Warmer weather means more time outdoors and construction projects in the works, but just in the last 10 days, the wet weather has slackened sales.

"Every business is seasonal, ours included," Raupe said. "Ours fluctuate double digit percentage from winter to summer."

Other means of getting drinking water are also becoming more fluid.

"On average I save at least $5 to $10 every day. Within the course of a week or a month, it's a pretty significant amount," said Gina Petruccelli.

From the kitchen sink to water purifiers, there are some environmentally concerned consumers like Petruccelli who are turning to tap.

"I use a Brita pitcher and portable water bottle everywhere I go," Petruccelli said. "I've sort of avoided plastic, plus it's more convenient to have something you can refill all the time, you can wash and keep it and know it's purified."

As more consumers are turning away from single serving plastic packages, a long time family business believes sales will come bubbling back after the economy makes a comeback.

"I believe we will turn this ship around and it will grow again. People have to drink water or they'll die," Raupe said. "We do have a good product to push out there and we're going to continue doing so."

Despite the parched economy, the company is not planning any layoffs, they're actually hiring more help.