Purified water refill depot with delivery
Run a small depot that purifies and refills jugs, selling walk-in and delivering to regular customers.
- $20k-80k
- Full-time
- Own premises
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
14,991 US businesses with employees in this field, +1.2% in a year
NAICS 424490 “Other grocery and related products merchant wholesalers”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
A small unit with a water purification system, a jug washing and sanitizing area and storage. You refill 5-gallon and smaller containers for walk-in customers and deliver to regular accounts.
Your first three steps
- Call your state health or agriculture department to learn what rules and permits apply to bottling or refilling drinking water
- Get quotes on purification equipment and a lease for a small unit zoned for light industrial or commercial use
- Line up your first accounts with nearby offices, restaurants and neighbors before you open
Who pays
Households that want cheaper or better-tasting water, plus offices, restaurants, food trucks and event organizers.
How it makes money
You sell refills at a per-gallon or per-jug price, then add delivery fees, new jug sales and monthly delivery plans.
Skills that help
- Careful, hygiene-minded routines
- Basic equipment maintenance and water testing
- Customer service and local marketing
Watch out for
- Bottled and vended water is often regulated at both the state and federal level, so check licensing, testing and labeling rules before you sell
- Water quality testing and sanitation records, since contamination is a serious risk and a liability issue
- General liability and product liability insurance, plus commercial auto if you deliver
- Check local zoning, your lease and any building permits for plumbing and wastewater
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: purified water refill depot with delivery
Researched with live web search for United States: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to open a water refill station?
Startup costs are typically around $20,000 to $80,000, depending on your purification system, premises and equipment. These are estimates only, so price out your setup and get quotes before you commit.
How much can a water refill depot earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on your walk-in sales and how many regular delivery accounts you build. This is an estimate of revenue, not profit.
What rules apply to selling purified water?
Bottled and vended water is often regulated at both state and federal level, so check licensing, testing and labeling rules before you sell. Also check sanitation records, insurance, local zoning, your lease, and permits for plumbing and wastewater.
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Photo: congerdesign on Pixabay