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Dubai: How do you choose between bottled drinking water, pure drinking water, bottled natural mineral water, spring, treated, or well water? And in a country with minimal natural water reserves, are the labels telling the truth?
Khalid Sharif, head of food safety section from the health department at Dubai Municipality, said some companies have been caught cheating customers by refilling bottles with tap water and selling it as pure or mineral water.
"We have cracked down on these groceries and fined them.
Storage
"There are close to 40 companies in Dubai selling bottled drinking water and most are selling purified, treated water, which has been filtered. It all comes from the same source but it has a separate procedure to become pure drinking water," said Sharif.
He said companies that wish to sell drinking water need to be certified as suppliers by Dubai Municipality.
"Bottled drinking water and tap water come from the same place, it is desalinated but manufacturers do a lot more to the water - remove the salts through reverse osmosis and replace them to their specifications," he said. "It's very hygienic."
Tap water is potable at the source, however, pipes within a building and from the treatment plant can be old or dirty and make the water unsuitable for human consumption. So filters are necessary, said Sharif.
"It's not a problem to drink tap water as it comes from Dewa, just like the bottled water originally. [But] the tanks and pipes might not be of the same standard.
"Storage is very important. There are companies that are registered with us to clean water storage tanks. With a filtered tap, water can be drunk safely at home," said Sharif.
Bottled water companies are randomly checked on a fortnightly basis. "We have records of drivers and delivery vans and we can call them up and test samples of the water," he said.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), pathogens like bacteria, heavy metals, pesticides, chemicals or radon can be found in water and studies show that the "best" waters, in these terms, are produced from purified tap water.
Have your say
What kind of drinking water do you use? What is important to you when buying drinking water?
Your comments
I use Masafi bottled water for drinking purposes but once I had a private company conduct a purity test on it through "electrolysis" and although it was clear of any impurities its colour changed yellow and the company that did the test advised me that this was Sulphur, a chemical which is used in abundance to give water its sweet taste. I am now wondering if the quantity of the sulphur used meets the international health standards.
Nazar
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: August 18, 2007, 14:09
I drink Masafi. When you have something so commonly available, why think twice or settle for less?
John
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 18, 2007, 13:25
We use Arabian desert drinking water bought from the grocery below our flat. We are concerned about our health, that's why.
Abdul
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: August 18, 2007, 12:01
When comparing the quality of drinking water, there are other considerations too: for instance, is tap water chlorinated and/or fluoridated? If so, are these chemicals removed in "purified" bottled water? Bottled water of all sorts carry other risks: if you use it, avoid water from cloudy plastic (PVC) containers as they transfer far too many chemicals into the water. The five-gallon containers and the ones in the clear bottles (polyethylene) are a much better plastic and will not give the water that awful plastic taste. It should also be considered that when plastic water bottles are exposed to hot sun, chemicals may leech into the water. In order to be safe, bottled water should not be stored too long and not be exposed to heat and light during storage. Storing water in plastic containers may also expose you to Bisphenol A (a toxic chemical) and potentially harmful bacteria.
Heinz
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: August 18, 2007, 11:25
So many goods are counterfeit in this place; and the long list is very worrying, pharmaceuticals, auto parts, toys, batteries, extension cords, cosmetics, beverages, body lotions; home electrical appliances, tools, vision wear, bearings and now WATER.
Helen
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 18, 2007, 10:44
We use water jars from water companies. But, for a month or two, we have felt that the water is not pure. There is a change in its taste. We are worried after hearing this news.
Tom
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: August 18, 2007, 10:35
I prefer bottled water to drink. I check the seal of the water bottle before buying.
Joesph
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 18, 2007, 10:30
If we want to know which company is selling pure drinking water and which is selling tap water and cheating us, what should we do? Are there any authorities where we can check the reliability of the water companies?
Ayesha
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: August 18, 2007, 10:21
I used Zulal water. If tap water is good for drinking then why is the government not encouraging people to drink that water? Pipes are old and dirty, so why don't they provide people with better filters to be installed in homes.
Syed
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: August 18, 2007, 10:18
I use Aquafina bottled mineral water. Sometimes I buy 5gln Gulfa mineral water. I feel extremely safe with these brands because I have been using them for a long time.
Shrikanth
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 18, 2007, 10:00
Every day and every time I use only Masafi bottled water. It has a good taste and is purified water.
Mohammed
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 18, 2007, 09:31
5 gallons of bottled water is the only choice for me and my family, and not just for drinking, but also for cooking and tea and coffee.
R.K.
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 18, 2007, 09:00
I use Masafi only. Not that any other brand has any fault but its more brand loyalty I believe. Since a lot of things in Dubai are pretty much perfect, blindly buying a water bottle is the same as looking through them. Although there are a few top brands that people prefer and, of course, the fact that some people are loyal to particular brands.
Ihab
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 18, 2007, 02:38
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