Egypt's lists licensed bottled water brands amid shortage

[DJKeefy]

Egypt's health ministry lists licensed bottled water brands amid shortage fears.

Official safe-to-drink list addresses key consumer concerns amid bottled water shortage following ministry crackdown on companies, Nestle factory fire and Pepsi production cuts.

Only 18 companies are currently licensed to distribute bottled water in Egypt, the health ministry stated on Tuesday.

According to a ministry press release, the licensed brands are Haya, Safi, Aqua Siwa, Siwa, Aman Siwa, Nahl, Organica, Aqua Sky, Mineral, Nestle, Vera, Baraka, Alpha, Aquafina, Tiba, Aqua Delta, Dasani, and Aqua Paris.

A shortage has hit the market since Nestle and Pepsi, which together captured 71 percent of the bottled water market according to the Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA), cut production in the past months, forcing consumers to turn to other brands.

Nestle, which produces Nestle Pure Life and Baraka bottled water, was forced to halt all of its production processes after a fire devastated its only factory in Banha, Qalioubiya Governorate, in late February.

The production of Pepsi’s Aquafina bottled water was suspended because it did not meet internal quality standards, according to the April ECA report.

A source close to the company hinted that Pepsi had been pressured by the health ministry to cut production until tests confirmed that the well-water used met government standards. Ahram Online was unable to reach company management for comment on the issue.

More than 13 companies had their bottled water production suspended due to contamination of their wells discovered in the past year, says Atef Yaacoub, head of Egypt's Consumer Protection, a fact that has aggravated the shortage.

Regular tests are conducted on unprocessed well-water, as well as the finished product, to make sure the source is free of certain bacteria according to international standards, says Zeinab Bakry, head of the National Nutrition Institute, the health ministry body in charge of licensing bottled water companies.

"Licensed wells can become contaminated by the poor hygiene practices of company workers or by sanitary water leaks from surrounding residential areas, or by the construction of buildings within the sanitary area around the well," explains Anan Helal, head of consumer protection non-governmental watchdog Ein Masr.

Three of the brands on the current safe-to-drink list, namely Aqua Delta, Tiba, and Alpha had been banned from production by the ministry last June after tests revealed their wells had become contaminated.

The ministry is engaged in regular initiatives to seize unlicensed bottled water from the market, said Health Minister Mohamed Mostafa Hamed in the press release, which did not name any examples of unlicensed brands.

Source: http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/71417.aspx

[DJKeefy]

There is a shortage in Luxor, most shops seem to have some unknown brands, a friend bought one and was i'll for a few days (maybe just a coincidence though). A few shops do have limited supply of Dasani yet there are now doing the Egyptian trait of taking advantage of the shortage by charging from 3.50LE up to 5LE a bottle, making it dearer than a bottle of coke/fanta/sprite 4.50LE

I wonder how Hurghada and Sharm are doing (the tap water there is not safe to drink).

[LovelyLadyLux]

I can see the day coming when water will be the new gold in terms of world currency.

The water being used in many of the Yucatan Hotels of Mexico all comes from reverse osmosis plants the hotels operate which essentially ensures safe drinking water. Bottled water is handed to the tourists as most people will refuse to drink the water there but apparently it is safe to drink.

Does Luxor have reverse osmosis capabitilites? Wouldn't getting a plant be something to consider? There is a cost but one would think the cost would be minimal compared to the alternative of no potable water.

[Chocolate Eclair]

Get a filter put in your cold water tap system, 450le you never have to bother with bottled water after that, and when out use soft drinks.

[Dusak]

I personalty drink very little water and what I do drink usually comes from a kettle with tea bag. But I think it a disgrace when it can be openly stated that the water is unsafe to drink in the big H and Sharm. Two of the biggest earners of the tourist $. Is the water in Luxor safe? I've never had the runes on the very rare occasions that I've drank some of it, taking tablets or mixing it with a sports drink. Nearly all my friends drink nothing else after its been chilled in the fridge and they haven't mentioned it being ''off''. So we must be OK here.