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Focus on water on consumers' day

Emirates Consumer Protection Society (ESCP) is making the final preparations for celebrating the International Consumers' Day on March 15 under the slogan 'Water is consumers' right'.

Engineer Hassan Al Katheiri, Chairman of ESCP, told Khaleej Times that the international consumers' day is aimed at creating general awareness among consumers in regard to the goods and services and their impact on their health and safety. "We want to direct consumers to the proper path of choosing the right products to buy and make them stay away from the products that bring nothing but harm to their health."

Explaining the main motive behind choosing water as the main logo for the consumers' day, Al Katheiri said: "Unfortunately, the UAE is considered the world's second largest consumer of water after the US. In addition, it relies heavily on desalinated water for most of its needs, which is an expensive and complex process that converts sea water into usable water. The desalinated water is subjected to further expensive chemical and microbiological analyses to ensure purity." He added that statistics concerning water in the UAE is shocking as there is approximately an eight to 10 per cent yearly increase in demand for water.

"On the occasion of the international consumers' day, we hope we succeed in informing people that despite the fact that water is one of their basic needs for survival, they need to know that excessive water consumption and wastage can lead to a major crisis if consumers do not use it in a more responsible and rational manner."

Al Katheiri added that the consumers' day will feature various lectures and symposia held in cooperation with UAE University. In addition, various lectures will be held at various schools to increase students' awareness about water consumption and the serious outcomes of irresponsible water use.