For Finicky Drinkers, Water From the Tap Isn’t Tasty Enough

Friday, March 11th, 2005

For Finicky Drinkers, Water From the Tap Isn’t Tasty Enough:

Bill and Rhonda Fels could never get their 3-year-old, Jason, to drink enough water, and he was chronically dehydrated as a result. So they were delighted when Jason finally found water he liked, from a glacier-fed river Mr. Fels crossed during a hike with Jason in the mountains.

Mr. Fels made regular trips to bring back more river water for Jason. When neighbors started mooching his supply for their own problem drinkers, Mr. Fels spotted a business opportunity and started a bottling company to sell the water.

Jason is now healthy and hydrated. As a bonus, he has stopped drinking from the toilet. The spaniel-retriever mix is now chief product tester for the Felses’ company, Springmill Products Inc., which ships a line of bottled water called PetRefresh for finicky critters nationwide. From their new headquarters on a former tobacco farm in Lawsonville, N.C., the Felses sell their pet water for $1.49 per 20-ounce plastic bottle.

Leave a Reply