Natural Mineral Waters Europe (NMWE) has launched a two-year pilot project to test new biodiversity guidelines across natural mineral and spring water sites in Europe.

The initiative, titled Sources for Nature, will run from 2026 to 2028 and bring together volunteer companies and industry associations to apply a common framework at catchment level. The aim is to strengthen ecosystem protection and restoration around water sources, while generating practical insights for wider industry adoption.

The project builds on biodiversity recommendations published in May 2025 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in collaboration with NMWE and sector experts. The guidance sets out a structured approach for managing biodiversity in and around natural mineral water catchments, with a focus on preserving habitats, supporting species and maintaining healthy water cycles.

At site level, the framework follows a four-step process: establishing a biodiversity baseline, setting targets, selecting indicators to measure progress and implementing and adapting actions over time. Participating sites will pilot this approach under real operating conditions and share findings to help refine future guidance.

The pilot will also document operational challenges, solutions and enabling factors linked to biodiversity action, including habitat restoration, ecological connectivity and species monitoring. NMWE said the evidence gathered will help identify gaps in the framework and support broader uptake of biodiversity practices across the sector.

Adam Gono, deputy secretary general of NMWE, said: “The publication of the IUCN Recommendations was a major milestone for our sector; this pilot is about putting them into practice. By testing the framework across diverse hydrological, ecological and business contexts, we want to build a robust business case for biodiversity and support more systemic nature protection in natural mineral water catchments.”

Top image: © Natural Mineral Waters Europe