25 Apr 2013

Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) is in the process of implementing the reviewed bottled water standards.

BOBS senior standard scientist, Ms Zukiswa Raditladi told a seminar on the implementation strategy of bottled water standards Wednesday that such standards included BOS 143:2011 and BOS 262:2011 which were approved as compulsory standards on May 2011.

Ms Raditladi explained that BOS 143 specified the physical, chemical and microbiological requirements for bottled water other than natural water for human consumption.

The BOS 262, she said specified the physical, chemical and microbiological requirements for bottled natural water for human consumption, bottled at the source.

Also, she said standards also specified permissible treatments and requirements for bottling and labelling while they both give zero tolerance to the presence of microorganisms that cause waterborne infections.

Ms Raditladi also explained to the seminar that the compulsory standards were set taking into consideration the protection of human life, animal life and the environment.

However, she noted that standards were not made too stringent for fear of resultant non-compliance barrier to trade.

Meanwhile, Section 10 of Standards Act states that where a compulsory standard has been declared in respect of any commodity, any person who sells or otherwise deals in a commodity of that description which does not comply with the declared standard specification shall be guilty of an offence.

The offence is punishable by law to three years imprisonment or P5000 fine.

On the other hand, critical parameters as far as labelling of bottled water was concerned are that name of the product as “natural water” if natural, specific composition should be declared; Ca, Mg, Na, K, C1, SO4, NO3, F,TDS and Ph. 

Other parameters indicated that treatment shall be declared on the label and no claims concerning medicinal or other beneficial effects relating to the health of the consumer should be made. ENDS