HUTTO – Jerry Roberts did not grow up dreaming of selling water.
In fact, until he reached his 50s, he worked in the computer-technology field. That all changed the day his sister introduced him to alkaline antioxidant water.
“Water was water, in my infinite wisdom,” he said. Then his sister gave him some water from The Water Tree and he drank half a gallon in less than an hour. “I thought, ‘What is this magical elixir?’ I must have more!”
Roberts discovered a Water Tree store in Round Rock and became a regular customer. Three years later, he decided to make a career change, and the supplier in Round Rock encouraged him to start his own company.
Roberts opened his first location on West Front Street in Hutto in 2020, then moved to his current location at 6020 N. FM 1660, Suite D, and reopened in November.
The entrepreneur serves patrons from around the region, including businesses using the hyper-pure water in their own products.
The selling points, Roberts said, are the health benefits and the taste. In his store he employs a 10-phase system removing chlorine, fluoride, pharmaceuticals, “forever chemicals,” pesticides, microplastics and more. The filtration strips the raw water down to its pure molecular form using technology developed by NASA for recycling water in space. The water is run through a set of minerals adding antioxidants and electrolytes. No chemicals are used.
The natural minerals are a key difference, according to Roberts, because many other sellers of alkaline water use bicarbonates to achieve alkalinity.
“I tell people if you want a good pizza you don’t go to a hamburger place. For good water, this is the place to go,” he said. “I tell people my water will make you ‘boujee’ (hip-hop slang from French for luxurious or high class).”
At The Water Tree, patrons can bring in refillable water jugs and purchase by the gallon or buy prepackaged rafts of bottled water. Roberts sells water with different levels of alkalinity, as well as a deep-ocean alkaline water, a mineral water believed to help with weight loss, turmeric water and hemp water with CBD.
Dream Tree, The Water Tree’s parent company, is also in the herbal business, so Roberts’ store sells a variety of dried herbs, nutritional supplements and medicinal teas. He carries water paraphernalia including home systems, water hydrogenators and shower heads.
“I’m a preacher’s son. I didn’t get the calling for the cloth, but what I did get was the calling for the ministry of wellness,” he said. “A lot of customers tell me my water has really made a difference.”
Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
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