Used Water
Bottling Machines.

A used water bottling machine is one of the most cost-effective ways to start, expand or replace a still or sparkling water line. Compared to new equipment, a properly inspected second-hand machine can cut investment by 40–70 % and shorten lead times from 12–18 months to a few weeks. This guide explains how to specify, evaluate and buy a used water bottling line — from monoblocs for PET bottles up to complete glass or polycarbonate gallon plants.

1. Define the output capacity (bph)

The first specification is hourly output, expressed in bottles per hour (bph). Typical brackets on the used market:

• 2,000 – 6,000 bph — small mineral / spring water bottlers, premium glass lines.
• 6,000 – 15,000 bph — mid-size regional PET plants.
• 15,000 – 36,000 bph — industrial PET water lines (typical second-hand sweet spot from KRONES, SIDEL, SIPA, SACMI).
• 36,000 – 81,000 bph — top-tier rotary monoblocs from large bottlers upgrading their lines.

2. Container types

Filling technology and change-parts depend on the container. A used water bottling machine must match — or be re-tooled for — the formats you produce:

• PET 0.33 – 2 L (most common): rotary rinser / filler / capper monoblocs, plus a PET blower upstream (SIDEL SBO, KRONES Contiform, SIPA SFR).
• Glass 0.25 – 1 L: heavier handling, isobaric or gravity filling, often paired with a labeller for self-adhesive or roll-fed labels.
• 5-gallon / HOD polycarbonate (18.9 L): dedicated washers, fillers and cappers — a separate sub-market.
• Aluminium cans: increasingly common for premium still water; requires a canning monobloc rather than a bottle filler.

3. Filling technology: still vs sparkling

Two technologies dominate the used water filler market:

• Gravity / level filling for still water — simpler, cheaper, very common in PET monoblocs.
• Isobaric (counter-pressure) filling for sparkling water — required to preserve CO₂. The filler is mechanically more complex and commands a higher resale value.

If you bottle both still and sparkling, look for a dual-pressure isobaric monobloc or plan two lines.

4. Sanitization and water treatment

Mineral and spring water plants must respect strict sanitization standards (Reg. EU 2019/1781, FDA 21 CFR, NSF/ANSI 60). On a used line, verify the presence and condition of:

• Pre-treatment train: sand filter, activated carbon, micro-filtration, UV lamps, ozone generator.
• CIP (Clean-In-Place) circuit on the filler.
• Stainless steel AISI 316L on all product-contact surfaces.
• Bottle rinser with sterile water or air, integrated in the monobloc.

5. End-of-line: case packers and palletisers

A complete used water bottling line includes downstream:

• Shrink wrappers / fardellatrici (e.g. SMI, OCME) for 6×4 or 4×3 PET packs.
• Handle applicators for multipacks.
• Palletisers (rotary or layer-by-layer) and pallet wrappers.

6. Inspection checklist before buying

• Year of manufacture and total operating hours.
• Last full maintenance log and CIP records.
• Condition of valves, lip-seals, filling pistons, capping heads.
• PLC and HMI versions — check spare-parts availability for older Siemens S5 / Allen-Bradley PLC-5 systems.
• Availability of original manufacturer documentation and electrical schematics.
• Change-parts (format kits) included in the sale.
• Dismantling, container loading and re-installation responsibilities.

7. Why buy through UsedBottlingSearch

Every used water bottling machine listed on UsedBottlingSearch is inspected on site by the technical team of Elitekno Bottling Solutions (Bovolone, Verona — 4,000 m² showroom, 40+ years on the market) and the international network of BottlingScout. We handle dismantling, container loading, customs paperwork and worldwide shipping, with re-installation supervision at destination.