The final workers at the former Silver Springs Bottled Water Co. plant in northwest Ocala are expected to clock out for the last time in early March, closing an operation that bottled spring and steam-distilled water in the community for nearly 40 years. The reductions finish a sweeping round of staff cuts that began at the end of 2025 and will drop the site’s headcount to zero by late March. For many employees and small vendors, the wind-down marks an abrupt end to a longtime local employer.
According to Ocala-News, Niagara Bottling filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) with the state that lists at least three employees scheduled for release by March 1 and an assistant controller position slated to end March 31. That filing follows the first round of cuts that took effect Dec. 31, 2025, and leaves the plant with a total of 85 planned terminations. The WARN notes and company filings say the moves are being made to “reduce production and volume” at the location.
State Notices Show Staged Layoffs
The site’s initial layoff, which released 73 workers on Dec. 31, was detailed by employment tracker Workcules, which pulls state WARN filings and lists the full event as affecting 85 positions. The tracker mirrors the state notice and notes staggered end dates through March. Those documents are typically shared with local workforce partners so re-employment and benefits resources can be mobilized.
Sale Ended a Family Era
Niagara acquired the Silver Springs property on Sept. 3, 2025, for roughly $25.8 million, ending ownership by the Richmond family that dated to 1991, Ocala-News reported. The facility had supplied 5-gallon jugs and bottled spring water to regional customers for decades. Local readers remember the plant as a visible employer in northwest Ocala, and now that footprint will be re-examined by property owners and potential industrial users.
Niagara’s Florida Footprint and Pattern
Niagara already operates larger plants in Groveland and Jacksonville, and local reporting says the company told state officials it planned to reduce volume at the Ocala site as operations were consolidated, according to WCJB. Past acquisitions by the bottling giant have sometimes led to shuttered production lines even as distribution networks remained intact. Industry acquisition listings also recorded Niagara’s purchase of Silver Springs and the subsequent staff reductions, underscoring a consolidation strategy across markets.
Help for Affected Workers
Displaced employees are eligible for Florida’s reemployment assistance and for Rapid Response services that the state deploys after WARN notices, according to the state’s workforce pages. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity outlines re-employment, training, and job-placement services that local career centers can provide to impacted staff; the state’s workforce programs page has further details. Workers can contact the Reemployment Assistance help center or local career centers for information on benefits, training, and job fairs…