Water Vending Machine Company Faces Suit

Environmentalists say California water-vending machines tested last summer failed to meet state standards for chemicals about a third of the time.

The Environmental Working Group and the Environmental Law Foundation are releasing the report Tuesday. The report checked 274 machines operated by Glacier Water.

The Environmental Law Foundation plans to sue Glacier Water today and ask that the machines be taken out of operation.

Glacier Water is the state’s biggest operator of water-vending machines, with more than 7,000 machines in the state. The company maintains its water is safe and says it performs independent third party testing to ensure clean water.

A spokeswoman for the state Department of Health Services says the agency will randomly test the machines – but she says the water is still safe to drink.