Oman’s NMWC issues New Statement on drinking water bottles

Muscat: The National Mineral Water Company (NMWC) has issued a new statement regarding the certain batches of drinking water produced by the company on specific dates.

In a disclosure to muscat stock exchange the company said: We refer to our statement issued on Thursday, September 19, 2024, in light of the circular circulated on social media from the Food Safety and Quality Center regarding the safety of certain batches of drinking water produced by the company on specific dates, we would like to reaffirm to all our esteemed customers, clients, and partners the company’s complete commitment to absolute transparency and prioritizing the safety and quality of our products at all times.

In response to the concerns raised on this issue and to ensure the best interest of everyone, the company has taken the following steps:

1. Two independent, certified and reputable laboratories in the Sultanate of Oman (Atyab Laboratories and Shatha Materials Testing Services) have been appointed to conduct extensive tests on water samples produced by the company from the same production dates mentioned in the circulated circular from the Food Safety and Quality Center.

2. A visit was made to the Food Safety and Quality Center in an attempt to obtain a copy of the lab results, either from South Shargiyah Municipality or the Center, as mentioned in the aforementioned circular. However, the company has not received any official communication on this matter. The reports from the concerned municipality or the center were only communicated verbally and no written copies have been provided.

We are pleased to announce that the independent laboratories commissioned by the company to retest the water samples in question have yielded different results. The tests confirm that the components of these samples comply with the health and safety Standards of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Specifically, the bromate levels in the batch under discussion were found to be within the approved limits set by the GCC, contrary to what was circulated on social media. In the interest of full transparency, we are pleased to make all these laboratory reports available to the public along with this statement.

The company deeply regrets the way this matter has been handled on social media, which has negatively impacted the reputation of our water products in the market. We assure you that we will take all necessary steps to assess the damage and address its effects. We will continue to communicate with the Food Safety and Quality Center and other relevant authorities to uphold the principle of transparency and to understand the reasons behind the discrepancies between the readings from the center’s laboratories and those of South Sharqiyah Municipality, as soon as we receive a copy of those readings and details of the samples they used.

We reaffirm our full commitment to ensuring the highest safety and quality standards for our products, and to protecting the interests of our company and its shareholders in every aspect.