Shep Batson, Owner of Inda Bay Spring Water, Shares His Love of County & Community — “Gems of Stone County”



We’ve all heard the phrase, “Oh, they’re such a gem,” to describe a remarkable or special person. To call someone a “gem” means they embody qualities of being exceptional, unique or rare. These individuals make Stone County, Mississippi, a compassionate, charming and distinctive place. We call these influential community members our “Stone County Gems.”

Our latest Stone County Gem comes from a family who drove stakes here in the 1820s and whose descendants still live here to this day. Shep Batson, owner of Inda Bay Spring Water, resides on these Inda Bay springs with a family legacy that dates all the way back to when the area was Hancock County, before Stone County even existed. Now that Shep has children, his family roots on Inda Bay span eight generations, starting when his fifth-great-grandfather moved here from North Carolina.

“He came here and started a farm and cattle business in 1822,” Shep said. “Over the years, my family worked cattle, timber and farming. The farm business doesn’t do much anymore, unfortunately, because of the expenses associated with it. That’s why we turned to the alternative business of bottling this water.”

Shep told the story of his grandfather, who first raised the notion of selling the water in the 1950s.

“My dad was headed to college, and my grandfather told him he should stay and mentioned wanting to do something with the water,” he said. “My dad called him crazy and told him nobody is going to buy water. The springs produce  3,800 gallons per minute of some of the purest water on the market, and we just put in a bottle.”

“Over the generations, the family always wanted to sell water, but nobody ever pulled the trigger. We’ve used it ourselves over the years and it’s great to be able to share it with the world,” Shep said.

Shep’s wife Tracey, a physical therapist for 28 years in Wiggins, is a business partner and handles all the administration and marketing for Inda Bay.

“We started bottling a year ago in March and then she was diagnosed with a major illness a month later, so it has been challenging,” said Shep, who had his own health issues a few years ago. “We stay in good spirits, and we put it to the feet of the good Lord. We believe in the power of prayer.”

The couple has three daughters – the eldest with an accomplished military career, the middle focusing on her bachelor’s degree and the youngest who attends Stone County High School. As with the generations of Batsons, Inda Bay Spring Water operates as a family affair, with the middle daughter managing the company’s social media and the youngest working to keep things clean and organized.

Shep and his family love Stone County. “It’s nice when you can go to town and you know everybody,” he said. “Also, if you need help or support, there’s always someone there. We have received so much support from our friends and the people of Stone County through both of our health situations. Another example I use came one year on Christmas day, when I had an emergency. I called someone and he opened his store for me. I don’t think you will find that kind of hospitality in many places.”

“We want to have mutual respect with everyone we do business with because you never know what might happen in the future,” he said. “My grandad once said ‘Son, you can shear a sheep a bunch of times, but you can only skin him once.’ It took me a long time to understand that, but as a business owner, I get it now.”

Shep’s favorite event every year is the Fourth of July celebration at Flint Creek Water Park. He highlighted the tourism the water park brings to Stone County and the beauty of the fireworks lighting up the sky on the birthday he shares with this great country.

The Batsons lead a simple life, and when asked about any other traditions in Stone County that he loves, Shep didn’t hesitate – “Farm Day” he said.

“My dad started it and we’ve done it every year for 54 years,” he said. “We bring kids up and teach them where their food comes from. We have stations with cows, pigs, chickens, vegetables and honeybees, and they learn about farming and how food comes to their plate. It’s very successful, and the Stone County Soil & Water Conservation District plays a major part in it.”

As with most small towns, Shep and his family love the “off the beaten path” feel of Stone County.

“I just love the people here,” he said. “They move at their own pace. And even with the recent growth we have experienced, , it’s still a small-town feel. The people here truly look after each other and care about your well-being.”

As for the Inda Bay Spring Water, Shep still laughs at his dad telling his grandad that selling the water wasn’t a smart idea.

“You know at the time, my dad was probably right, but now it’s one of the largest industries in the world,” he said. “It hasn’t been easy to get this off the ground and running, but we provide the cleanest water on the market. We don’t do anything to it except what the state requires. We feel like God made it this way, and we just put it in a bottle.”

Shep explained how they just filter the water and the state requiring a UV lighting process that eliminates any bacteria. The water from the springs has been tested several times and has been found to be as pure as there is available.

“Most of the bottled water you buy in stores involves processes of using chemicals and other things that just flat out aren’t good for you,” he said. “We don’t have anything like that.

We try and educate people that our water is 100 percent natural spring water with nothing else added to it.”

Right now, Inda Bay produces 40,000 bottles a day and provides all bottled water for both the Island View Casino and Windance Country Club. The bottles are available at all coastal Walmart locations, and they even sell them by the case in Stone County at Alexander Hardware, McDaniels General Store, Piggly Wiggly and Jack’s Home Improvement Center. The company is about to start a five-gallon bottling line which will be available to the Pine Belt Area as well as the Mississippi Gulf Coast to both residential and commercial customers.

As for doing business in Stone County, Shep said he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

“The people here are thoughtful and caring,” he said. “We own 800 acres, and the land has been in our family for 200 years. It’s hard to beat that. I live in the same house my great grandad lived in, and how many people can say that? In Stone County, we take care of our own and it’s always been that way.”