KUWAIT CITY, June 4: The Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) should stop misleading the public that the drinking water in Kuwait is safe for human consumption, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily quoting Executive Secretary of the Renewable Energy Organization Ghadeer Al-Saqabi.

Despite the repeated assurances of the ministry that the drinking water in the country is safe, Al-Saqabi claimed the recent tests conducted on 350 samples of water in Farwaniya, Kheitan and Ahmadi showed the level of poisonous bromide reached 20 micrograms per liter, while the maximum level safe for human consumption is 10 micrograms per liter, according to the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO). He said the ministry had earlier affirmed the level of bromide in drinking water is natural and it surfaces every three months in a few samples. However, the results of the tests indicate otherwise. The ministry must refrain from giving false information and it should take the necessary measures to protect the public health, especially this time when the nation is still grappling with the rising levels of air and sand pollution, he added.

Commenting on the issue, environmental expert Dr Shukri Al-Hashim clarified bromide is not as poisonous as people have been made to believe, but the accumulation of this substance in the body after a long time may lead to dire consequences. He attributed the rising level of bromide in drinking water to human error and urged the concerned authorities to address the problem before it is too late.
Earlier it was reported, the drinking water in Kuwait was safe for human consumption according to the international standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO), Al-Watan Arabic daily reported quoting Assistant Undersecretary for Planning and Training Affairs at the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) Dr Mesh’an Al-Otaibi.

Al-Otaibi said the ministry checks its water daily, in coordination with the local laboratories, which have confirmed that Kuwait’s water is free of any harmful substances. He explained some samples have tested positive for bromide due the high salinity of underground water being mixed with water in the distillation units. He was quick to add though that the bromide found in these samples is within the normal level; hence, it does not pose a grave threat to public health. He added the ministry uses an advanced mechanism to ensure the water is clean and safe.

Vehemently denying rumors that the water in Kuwait is not safe for human consumption, Al-Otaibi stressed the ministry has asked the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) to look into the issue. He revealed the ministry also sought the assistance of an expert from WHO and is expected to arrive any time this month to analyze samples of water in Kuwait. He said the ministry publishes results of the daily water tests on its website every month for the public to know the truth in line with the principles of transparency.

Also:
KUWAIT CITY: A health official has spoken against long-time exposure to high temperature warning that dehydration and physical exhaustion can be fatal.
Dr Ahmad Al-Shatti, a consultant of vocational medicine and environment and the head of the department of the vocational health department of the Ministry of Health, said in a statement to KUNA that people should take precautions, especially when the heat soars, alluding to record hike of the temperature to the level of 52 degrees, two days ago.
In such conditions, people should drink a lot of water, abstain from walking for a long distance and use umbrellas, he said.
Dr Al-Shatti stressed that such precautions must be taken by persons suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiac diseases, as well as the young and pregnant women.
He urged employers to cut the time of workers’ exposure to the sun light and extend the work time at night.