Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007
Gulf News
Dubai: Aquafina water in the UAE comes from an underwater natural source, says Dubai Refreshments after claims were made it was tap water.
A report released by Corporate Accountability International in the United States recently criticised Aquafina water, bottled by PepsiCo over its blue label with a mountain logo, as it could be misconceived that the water comes from spring sources, when it actually comes from public water sources.
Dubai Refreshments, the sole franchisee and distributor for PepsiCo in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, said Aquafina in the UAE is sourced from underground and is not tap water.
During a media open day at the Dibba Aquafina bottling plant, branch manager Hassan Safa, said the plant is not even linked to the municipality water line and all the water is sourced from an underground natural reservoir.
He said what was happening in the United States had nothing to do with Aquafina in the UAE.
"Underground water is available so we are situated here. We get our water from two wells," said Safa. "Even the water in our toilets is from the wells," he added.
The statement also says that the plant is visited by the health section four times a year and laboratory tests are carried out every month.
Safa took reporters on a tour of the plant and pointed out two wooden boxes with pipes leading from them, as two wells from which the plant draws its water.
Safa said the water's total dissolved solids (TDS) can be anything from 400 to 1,200 parts per million (ppm) when it is first pumped but this is reduced to nil before salts and minerals, provided by Pepsico International are injected in the water. The final TDS count in Aquafina is 120ppm.
He added that everything that is mentioned on the label is correct.
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