Elimination of Bottled and Vended Water (BVW) Certificates of Competency (CoC) Testing
Effective September 1, 2015, Bottled and Vended Water (BVW) Operators, as
defined in Health and Safety Code (HSC) Chapter 441, will no longer be required
to hold Certificates of Competency (CoC) issued by the Department of State
Health Services (DSHS) in order to conduct business in the state. These recent changes were the result of
amendments enacted by Senate Bill (SB) 202, passed during the 84th
Texas Legislature, Regular Session (2015).
SB 202 repealed HSC, Chapter 441.
- The
certificate you are required to hold to operate a BVW facility expires on August
31, 2015.
- After
that date, DSHS will no longer provide testing or issue new certificates,
and no certificate will be required for you to remain in business.
- Please
note that there are state and federal laws with which you must still
comply, including the requirement to be licensed by DSHS as a Manufactured
Foods facility.
Please do not post your certificate(s)
for public viewing on and after September 1, 2015, as it will no longer be
valid. You should also refrain from
advertising or making references in connection with your business that would
lead the public to believe that you still hold a certificate of competency issued
by DSHS for conducting business as a BVW operation.
You may still verify former certificate
holders on the DSHS website at: https://vo.ras.dshs.state.tx.us. However, custom verifications by mail will no longer be
available.
If you have
questions, please e-mail us at
foodslicensinggroup@dshs.texas.gov.
State of Texas Eliminates Licensing and Regulation of Seven Occupations/Businesses
A new state law, Senate Bill 202, was recently passed by the Texas Legislature. The new law becomes effective September 1, 2015. State law will no longer require a license issued by the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) for the following businesses and occupations:
- Rendering businesses
- Contact lens dispensers
- Opticians
- Bedding
- Tanning facilities
- Personal emergency response providers
- Bottled and vended water certificates of competency
On and after July 1, 2015, DSHS will not issue new licenses or renew expiring licenses for these programs.
To learn more about Senate Bill 202, please select http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Home.aspx and enter SB202 in the search field.
DSHS will soon be notifying license holders and interested parties directly of this change in Texas law. If you have questions, please contact us via e-mail at foodslicensinggroup@dshs.texas.gov.
Licensing and Certification
Firms that do any of the following are required to obtain a Food Manufacturer license.
- Process and bottle water in sealed containers
- Dispense water through retail outlet(s) where either bottles are provided or the customer brings their own
- Dispense water through stand alone vending machines. Each vending machine must be licensed separately
Rules and Regulations
Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 431 - Texas Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
25 Texas Administrative Code, 229.81-91 - Production, Processing & Distribution of Bottled / Vended Drinking Water
21 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 129 - Processing and Bottling of Bottled Drinking Water
21 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 165 - Beverages