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Brighton Gumbo Business Reporter
THE government has registered 67 bottled water companies since the beginning of the year with the Ministry of Health and Child Care expressing satisfaction with chemical and micro-biological sample test results. The samples were done in compliance with the Food and Food Standard Act, a statutory instrument that protects the public from food products’ health risks.
According to a notice from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Bulawayo has four registered purified water brands — Brookes purified water bottled by Bottle Bay Marketing, Absolute Aqua bottled by Liquid Asset Enterprises, DatLife and BioPlus bottled by Datlabs.
Gweru has one registered firm — Hurricane, bottled by Hurricane Spring.
Others include BBW, Panem, Jojo, Naqua, Willards, Supreme Choice, Rainbow Towers, Revive, Mr Water, Schweppes, Spar, Baobab, Vivon, Krystal, ZLG, Border streams, Sabie, Mambo, Spring Fresh, Food World, Zone Three, Cool Ice, Inwai, Ripple, Nyanga, Crystal Pure Life, Natures Paradise, Shoppers Choice, Nova Spring, LS, Glitter Splash, Wepure Purified water and Ad-life.
The list also covers Glendale Spring P/L, Somersby, Seltzer, Mr Juicy, Tingamira, Bon Marché, Pot- O-gold, Da Eros, Health Harvest, Oasis, Zim Zim, MM, Bev, Krystal, Vitality, Lea Choiseau, Bubble Springs, Kumakomo, O3, Aqualite, Absolutely, Fountain, Richfield, Century, Health Harvest and BioPlus.
A 500ml bottle of purified water costs an average of $0.50.
At some point Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa complained the country was importing purified water from neighbouring countries.
Such imports have been blamed for widening the country’s trade deficit to $3,3 billion from $2,97 billion in December 2014.
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