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Ajman closes down 3 water bottling firms

AJMAN — Three water bottling companies in Ajman have been shut down yesterday and others warned and fined for violating the health and hygiene regulations.

Municipality officials refused to release the names of the companies, but said the decision was taken after complaints from many consumers that water being distributed by a number of companies in Ajman was unfit for human consumption.

After the receipt of such complaints, the Ajman Municipality intensified its efforts to curb the violation of the water bottling companies.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Saif Salim Al Shamsi, Deputy Director of Ajman Municipality, said that more than 40 bottling and filling companies are located in various residential areas of Ajman. Municipality inspectors visit the companies which are filling and bottling water from well-treated sources every week, and pull out samples for analysis at the central laboratory of the municipality.

He said most of these companies are following the hygiene and health requirements mandated by the municipality. Some of them were banned from filling water on the streets, but mandated to instal glass partitions that would protect water from being contaminated by polluted air, he added.

The workers of the water bottling and packing companies were issued health certificates and were ordered by the inspectors of the section to wear the municipality’s uniforms, he said.

“Water is considered the foundation of life on earth, the lifeline of our planet,” he commented.

Municipality’s inspection campaign was intensified to follow the performances of these companies and water treatment factories located in the Industrial Area in Ajman, he said, adding that inspectors from the Health Section regularly visit the factory premises to check for their compliance with the rules, and take samples for laboratory testing. They also ensure that the factories abide by the rules regarding labelling, caps and tamper-proof seal, he claimed.

Al Shamsi pointed out that the municipality has set standards for bottled water, based on requirements and descriptions of the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) for operating bottled water companies.

“The HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) standard is also being applied to bottled water industry,” he said.