Purified water refill depot and delivery

Offices, cafes, gyms, event organisers, households and walk-in customers who want refills.

You charge per refill or bottle, cooler rental and servicing fees, and event supply charges. Producing your own water gives better margins than reselling, but costs more to set up.

• Basic equipment maintenance and cleaning routines
• Careful hygiene and record keeping
• Customer service and local marketing
• Driving and scheduling deliveries

• Packaged water is regulated under food safety rules, so check the food standards, testing and labelling requirements with your state authority and council
• Zoning and council approval for the unit and any wastewater from filtration
• Regular water quality testing and cleaning of bottles and equipment
• Public liability and product liability insurance, plus workers compensation once you hire
• Higher fixed costs from rent, equipment and a van, so check demand first

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $30,000 to $120,000, depending on your filtration equipment, the premises and a delivery van. Treat this as an estimate, and check local demand before committing to rent and equipment.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $8,000 to $30,000, depending on your mix of walk-in, delivery and event customers. Fixed costs such as rent and vehicle expenses continue when sales are slow.

Packaged water is regulated under food safety rules, so check standards, testing and labelling requirements with your state authority and council. Also check zoning, council approval for the unit and wastewater, and regular water quality testing.