Setting standards for bottled water

THE EDITOR: I refer to the recent article entitled “Bottled Water — Not All Crystal Clear”, and submit the following comments for what they are worth. If the producers of bottled water feel so strongly about a standard among themselves, why, for a start, do they not adopt the standard set by the International Bottled Water Association of the USA (IBWA)? One cannot understand why it is felt that the state should set a standard.  Why should our government be held responsible for standards of bottled water?  Why don’t many more of us set standards for ourselves and not wait on government to do them for us? There is absolutely nothing wrong in stipulating voluntary standards for our businesses.

If there is some reluctance to adopt IBWA standard then, perhaps, the HACCP standard should do.  Should the producers disagree on either the IBWA standard or the HACCP standard, perhaps they could get together and set another standard for TT. Many in TT still use public supplies for even drinking but, unfortunately, there is no national standard for potable water — something I have been pleading for years.  This is where WASA could assist the state in setting a national standard for potable water. In the absence of standards, voluntary or compulsory (legal standard), and one is poisoned by water, whether by drinking or by using otherwise, it would be interesting to see what the courts will do with litigation pertaining to water.

ARNOLD HARNANAN
Pot-of-Spain