The Nestle Water plant in Macon County closed Tuesday.

Macon County Mayor Steve Jones confirmed that production at the water plant ceased today.  

Forty-three employees of Nestle Water Bottling will lose their jobs.  

The company says all employees remain on the payroll and will get health benefits until Feb. 2, 2019. Each employee is also getting a separation package based on their years with the company.

Jones says the bottling plant opened 15 years ago. When it closes, the 200,000 square foot building will be empty 

Factory Manager Daniel Disney released this statement: 

Bottled water is a highly competitive category. In response to the competitive situation, we are evolving our business to better align our current operations to meet our future needs and position the company for long-term success. As one step toward that goal, we have made the decision to cease production at the Red Boiling Springs, TN facility, effective December 4, 2018.

While we are confident that this action will allow us to better serve our customers and make the company stronger, we recognize the impact that this decision will have on our Macon County associates and their families, and the Red Boiling Springs community. We will support each impacted associate with separation packages. We are grateful to all of our Red Boiling Springs associates whose hard work, skills and commitment to quality have made our brands loved and trusted by consumers across the country. We are also appreciative of the many residents and organizations in Red Boiling Springs with whom we have been proud to collaborate on a variety of important community initiatives.