Egypt tightens oversight of bottled water plants

Published on August 9, 2013 05:03 by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Government

The Ministry of Health shut down seven plants in May after their wells were determined to be contaminated, and diminished supply has driven up the price of bottled water, experts told Al-Shorfa.

Egyptian Minister of Health Mohamed Mustafa announced the shutdowns after a periodic ministry inspection of company wells.

The ministry has issued licenses to just 18 companies, Mustafa said, warning against the purchase of non-licensed products. The licensed companies are Hayat, Safi, Aqua Siwa, Siwa, Aman Siwa, Nahl, Organica, Aqua Sky, Mineral, Vera, Nestle, Baraka, Alpha, Aquafina, Tiba, Aqua Delta, Dasani and Aqua Paris.

Bottled water sold in the Egyptian market is not mineral water, but groundwater drawn through wells, said bacterial infections specialist Hanafi Abdel Meguid, who supervises a ministry laboratory.

"In Egypt, groundwater is abundant in most provinces and is subject to Egypt's water specifications of 2005, which conform with the specifications of two UN organisations: the World Health Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation," he told Al-Shorfa.

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