Greene County Success Stories

Ellen Rettus Planning Achievement Award Nomination – New York Spring Water, Economic Development

New York Spring Water is a water bottling and processing facility in the Town of Halcott near Vly Mountain. The company opened its doors in 2009 and completed a substantial expansion and renovation of its facilities in 2011-13, part of which had to be re-done after damage to the company’s building and spring from Hurricane Irene. The company was founded by Richard and Luke Zakka, a father-and-son team who scouted Upstate New York for a spring with suitable quantity and quality of water for their new company. The business employs approximately 30 workers in the smallest town in Greene County.

Greene County provided a $300,000 Quantum Fund loan in 2009 for a $610,000 project to get the company up and running. A second infusion of capital was obtained in 2011 and disbursed in 2012-13, which was a $264,000 grant/loan combination for a $700,000 expansion project funded through the first Consolidated Funding Application round. NY Spring Water also has had several private capital infusion as it grows its national and international markets. The company has a distribution agreement with national convenience store chain 7-11, and also ships product to countries as far away as Japan.

New York Spring Water using modern technology to sell a product that identifies the Catskills – pure drinking water. The spring utilized by the company is literally inside Vly Mountain, and the water spends less than one minute going from the mountain to the bottle. New York Spring Water also has a patented cap that holds vitamins and minerals separately from the water. When the cap is turned, the vitamins and minerals are infused in the water, ensuring quality and freshness.

Greene County Economic Development, Tourism and Planning staff has worked closely with New York Spring Water throughout the company’s history. Its success shows that it is possible to have a nature-based manufacturing business in even the most remote portions of the County, and also markets the Catskills and its natural environment with every bottle sold.

If you want to learn more about how to Make It In Greene, check out our free helpful business guides and contact the Invest In Greene team by email or phone at 518-719-3290.

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Topics: Success Stories

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