Autaugaville Artesian Water Plant Bottles Local Aquifer on 30 Acres

When Forge climbed out of Ward's Ford Ranger pickup and stood in the pine thicket on County Road 135, he saw a derelict metal building sitting empty next to a shuttered water plant where others had already tried and failed. His first instinct was to reach for his checkbook and walk away.

"Mr. Ward, I have my checkbook with me," Forge remembers saying. "I can't do anything like this. I have a business to run."

Ward didn't argue. "Look into this for me. You can do it," he replied.

That exchange set the wheels in motion for Eleven86 Real Artesian Water, the Autaugaville-based bottled water brand produced by MRaine Industries, LLC. The company has since purchased 30 acres adjacent to that shuttered plant, drilled a new well, and built a bottling facility designed specifically for expansion, tapping into the artesian aquifer that sits beneath the small Autauga County town.

The geology beneath Autaugaville makes the location more than a business pitch. According to the United States Geologic Survey, four aquifers crisscross under Autauga County: the Coker, Gordo, Eutaw, and Tuscaloosa. An aquifer, as the Montgomery Advertiser has described it, is essentially "an underground river, with water under pressure trapped between impervious bedrock and porous sand and rock." Punch a well into one and the water rises under its own pressure, no pumping required.

Eleven86 markets the result as water "untouched by man for thousands of years, being filtered by rock and sand," and claims it carries a pH of 6.9 with no metals, toxins, chemicals, fillers, or additives. The company also describes itself as sustainably sourced, locally bottled, and minority owned, packaging the water in BPA-free, recyclable bottles. These are company claims and have not been independently verified.

After Forge committed to the project, he assembled a group of investors and partners: Kelvin Brickhouse, Darrick Baylis, and Dr. Tabitha Fortt. He put his engineering background to work researching cause and effect, risks and gains. There was no safety net.

"There was no Plan B, we had everything we owned invested," Forge said. "If we didn't make it, this plant was going to be the biggest house in Autaugaville. We'd all have to move in here and live here together."

Ward, the man who saw the opportunity in that empty building and persuaded Forge to pursue it, died in 2019 before he could see the business find its footing. When asked to explain why Eleven86 succeeded where earlier attempts had failed, Forge's answer was concise: "Faith. And timing. And customer service."

The plant has plenty of room to grow. The 30-acre site was built with expansion in mind, and the well carries sufficient capacity to support increased production, which is expected to climb as warmer months drive higher demand.

Customer reaction has been enthusiastic. Dana M., reviewing the product on Google, wrote: "Tried the water yesterday. I drank 2 bottles of it before I knew it. The water is so fresh and you don't test no chemicals the water taste like my ma use to be well water. I purchased 2 of the 24 packs and looking forward too buying more."

Eleven86 Real Artesian Water is available through regional retail locations, with a store locator and online ordering at the company's website. The brand can also be found on social media at @Eleven86water.