Molson Coors in Butler County doubles production for water designated for disasters

Once a year, Molson Coors in Trenton produces canned water to distribute to disaster areas around the country. This year, the Trenton brewery has doubled its output to between 600,00 to 800,000 cans of water. It cans the water in a single day in April, but this year they delayed the run due to storms and tornado activity in the area. Pictured is part of the canning process done on May 12, 2025. MICHAEL D. PITMAN/STAFF

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

Once a year, Molson Coors in Trenton produces canned water to distribute to disaster areas around the country. This year, the Trenton brewery has doubled its output to between 600,00 to 800,000 cans of water. It cans the water in a single day in April, but this year they delayed the run due to storms and tornado activity in the area. Pictured is part of the canning process done on May 12, 2025. MICHAEL D. PITMAN/STAFF

A lot of the canned Molson Coors water in disaster areas across the country was likely produced in Trenton, using water beneath the soil of Butler County.

In April 2024, the Trenton Brewery produced more than 300,000 cans of water, which were then sent to one of a half-dozen Molson Coors breweries to be prepared for distribution.

Now, it is doubling that amount for the 2025 run.

“Wherever there’s a disaster, we have a brewery ready to distribute some water,” said Shane Smith, line lead on can line six of the Trenton Brewery.

Last year, Molson Coors donated water to disaster relief efforts for communities recovering from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, floods in Houston and Northwest Iowa, and wildfires in the Texas Panhandle. In 2023, 120,000 cans of water went to East Palestine, Ohio, following the Norfolk Southern train derailment carrying noxious chemicals.

Molson Coors is known for distributing a variety of Miller and Coors brands. Every day, they produced more than 338,000 beers, which would provide eight beers per person at a sold-out Great American Ball Park (capacity is 42,271). Capacity is typically maxed out during the summer, and the Trenton brewery is the second-biggest Molson Coors facility in the network while being the lowest-cost producer.

Once a year, Molson Coors in Trenton produces canned water to distribute to disaster areas around the country. This year, the Trenton brewery has doubled its output to between 600,000 to 800,000 cans of water. It cans the water in a single day in April, but this year they delayed the run to storms and tornado activity in the area. Pictured is a container of water canned on May 12, 2025. MICHAEL D. PITMAN/STAFF

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

icon to expand image

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

On Monday, it dedicated a line to run between 600,000 and 800,000 cans of water because there is a bigger need, said Trenton Brewery Plant Manager Gabriela Bozdog.

“We have seen in the past that the number of natural disasters has increased a lot, and we want to be able to contribute to the communities,” said Bozdog. “The more water we are producing, the more we are able to cover the ones in need.”

The water that would be distributed for the year is manufactured ahead of the summer.

So why Trenton? It’s the only Molson Coors brewery uniquely set up to produce the water for its network. The facility at 2525 Wayne-Madison Road has distributed a couple million cans of water for disasters since it started in 2017. The company puts the water in a 12-ounce slim can, and Smith said, “There are only so many breweries and so many lines that make that can.”

Once a year, Molson Coors in Trenton produces canned water to distribute to disaster areas around the country. This year, the Trenton brewery has doubled its output to between 600,00 to 800,000 cans of water. It cans the water in a single day in April, but this year they delayed the run due to storms and tornado activity in the area. Pictured is part of the canning process done on May 12, 2025. MICHAEL D. PITMAN/STAFF

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

icon to expand image

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

It also sits on the Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer — an underground reservoir that supplies water for communities from Logan County to the Ohio River — and outside of a glacier, there are not many sources that will provide any more pure water, Smith and Bozdog said.

“It’s not something new for us,” Bozdog said of the water production. “It has already become a tradition to have this production on an annual basis, but if there is a need, we’ll continue to produce and to contribute.”

Once a year, Molson Coors in Trenton produces canned water to distribute to disaster areas around the country. This year, the Trenton brewery has doubled its output to between 600,00 to 800,000 cans of water. It cans the water in a single day in April, but this year they delayed the run due to storms and tornado activity in the area. Pictured is part of the canning process done on May 12, 2025. MICHAEL D. PITMAN/STAFF

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

icon to expand image

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

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