Consumers must take caution before drinking water in UAE

The Dubai Food and Environment Laboratory section has advised that although both bottled and non-bottled water are generally drinkable, there are important factors to consider before consuming your next glass or bottle.

The Dubai Municipality has cautioned that when drinking non-bottled water, "Consumers should pay great attention since most contamination cases happen due to misuse and neglecting regular and periodical maintenance on water pipes networks inside houses, buildings, and water tanks. This ignorance allows minute germs and flora to grow in water which is the main cause for water microbiological contamination, making water unsuitable for human consumption."

Each day, the Laboratory receives samples of drinking water, both bottled and non-bottled. The samples are subject to physical, microbiological and chemical analysis to ensure drinking water is suitable for consumption and conforms to the current UAE standards as issued by the UAE Standardization Organization.

Although bottled water does not need to go through the same scrutiny as non-bottled drinking water, Jeema Water's General Manager, Mohab Hanafy, advises that consumers should still look for signs before drinking bottled water: "Since most of the UAE consumes bottled water, people should be mindful of certain signs. Make sure the bottle is intact and sealed before opening it. Bottles should be clean in the neck area and the water should be clear and transparent with no impurities or flaws."

Mr. Hanafy and the Dubai Municipality both cautioned that with the summer heat, people should not consume old bottles of water that have been sitting in the sun and should avoid keeping water near pollution sources or cleaning materials and petrochemical products.

The Dubai Municipality pays great attention to drinking water to ensure its quality conforms to UAE drinking water quality standards which are in line and harmonized with the standards of both the World Health Organization for non-bottled drinking water and the International Food Code (CODEX) for bottled water.