The Ministry of Health shut down seven plants in May after their wells were determined to be contaminated, and diminished supply has driven up the price of bottled water, experts said.
Egyptian Minister of Health Mohamed Mustafa announced the shutdowns after a periodic ministry inspection of company wells.
The ministry has issued licenses to just 18 companies, Mustafa said, warning against the purchase of non-licensed products. The licensed companies are Hayat, Safi, Aqua Siwa, Siwa, Aman Siwa, Nahl, Organica, Aqua Sky, Mineral, Vera, Nestle, Baraka, Alpha, Aquafina, Tiba, Aqua Delta, Dasani and Aqua Paris.
Bottled water sold in the Egyptian market is not mineral water, but groundwater drawn through wells, said bacterial infections specialist Hanafi Abdel Meguid, who supervises a ministry laboratory.
"In Egypt, groundwater is abundant in most provinces and is subject to Egypt's water specifications of 2005, which conform with the specifications of two UN organisations: the World Health Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation," he told Al-Shorfa.
Water purification methods used in Egypt consist of reducing the salinity of the water, sterilising it through ozone or ultraviolet radiation, and passing it through filters, Abdel Meguid said.
The Ministry of Health conducts periodic inspections of wells and commercial bottling plants to protect the health of citizens and tourists, he said.
The seven companies were shut down because their water contained live protozoa, he said.
The ministry's preventive measures are not the only reason for the shortage in supply of bottled water, Cairo governorate Chamber of Commerce advisor Sami Salah told Al-Shorfa.
The operations of two other companies also have been suspended, he said: Nestle Waters suspended operations following a February fire at its plant in Banha, and PepsiCo suspended production at its Aquafina plant to address its internal quality standards.
Those two companies account for close to 60% of Egypt's bottled water production, he said.
It would be difficult for new companies to enter the market to make up for the shortfall, as that would be cost prohibitive, he said, adding that each well costs around 3 million Egyptian pounds ($430,000), and obtaining licenses and fulfilling the necessary requirements takes time.
Comprehensive Oversight
Consumer protection patrols have two goals: to ensure the market is clear of bottled water produced by plants that have been shut down; and to clear the market of bottled water produced by unknown or unlicensed companies, said Consumer Protection Agency market monitor Abbas Saber.
Laboratory tests reveal that such water is just ordinary drinking water put in containers, he said.
"The bottled water issue is linked to multiple parties, including the Ministry of Irrigation, the principal party responsible for drilling the wells, and the Ministry of Health, which provides oversight to ensure bottled water conforms with Egyptian and international specifications," he said.
The Ministry of Consumer Protection also plays a prominent role through its monitoring of prices and unlicensed products, he said.
The Consumer Protection Agency has opened a hotline to receive complaints about water prices, reports of suspect quality and the names of offending companies, Saber said.
"The agency holds regular meetings with representatives of [water bottling] companies to find appropriate solutions to meet market needs and maintain prices," he said.
The responsible authorities are monitoring the status of shut down companies to accelerate the resolution of their problems so they can resume production, he said.
