‘Kuwait’s drinking water is of high quality, adheres to WHO conditions’ – Landlords urged to keep storage tanks free of bacteria

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KUWAIT CITY, Jan 13: Director of Water Resources Development Center at Ministry of Electricity and Water Eng Meshal Al-Saeedi affirmed the purity and high quality of the drinking water in Kuwait, given that the ministry fully adheres to the conditions set by the World Health Organization (WHO) in terms of drinking water.

He said in an interview, “Because Kuwait adheres to the international standards, it has been ranked high globally in the recent report by WHO on the purity and quality of drinking water.” Eng Al-Saeedi explained that the ministry’s responsibility of drinking water starts from production process in the water plants until it reaches to buildings. From there, the landlord and the tenants are responsible.

Therefore, it is imperative to examine the storage tanks to prevent any bacteria that can contaminate the water due to long storage period. Drinking water undergoes thorough chemical and bacteriology tests for which 7,200 samples of water are collected and tested annually.

The laboratories of Ministry of Health then test the samples for radiation. So far, all the samples have proven to be 100 percent safe. Eng Al-Saeedi indicated that the Water Resources Development Center is one of the vital departments of Ministry of Electricity and Water, adding that it undertakes activities which cover most of the work pertaining to engineering, technology, environment and economic operations for the distillation purpose.

He went on to explain that the center undertakes work related to research and development in the water spectrum. Th rough chemical and bacteriology labs, it tests and evaluates methods and means of operation related to water. It issues periodic reports and compliance certificates in accordance with the latest specifications in order to ensure proper and safe use of these materials in water-related activities. Th e center participates in various technical committees and new proposed project studies on water operations and environment protection.

It also participates in international and regional conventions where it benefits from the experiences of others in this field in order to better serve the country in the aspect of purity and quality of drinking water. Eng Al-Saeedi indicated there are some companies that sell their filters to houses and buildings through their representatives under the pretext that tap-water is not clean, adding that the tests conducted by those companies involves breaking down the minerals in the tap water and making it appear as though the water is contaminated by rust or dirt. He assured the public that the water that reaches their tank is clean and up to the required standards. Eng Al-Saeedi said, “With a little care of the storage tanks, the water is completely safe to use, especially for drinking.

The new real-estates have a central control to ensure the water quality. It is only operational in the network once the houses are occupied”. Regarding the role of social media, he said, “With the advancement of the communication media platform, the center is fully utilizing online media to ensure the public receives accurate information and proper awareness regarding the purity and high-quality of water through governmental websites and other social communication platforms”.

It is worth mentioning that the history of Water Resources Development Center dates back to 1950s and 1960s. Back then, limited natural fresh water resources in Kuwait and high demand for electric power due to the country’s rapid modernization and economic growth used to represent the two major challenges for the Kuwaiti government. Several measures were then taken including the establishment of the Water Resources Development Center.

The Water Resources Development Center was established in 1968 by Ministry of Electricity and Water with the cooperation of International Labor Organization (ILO). he purpose behind establishing the center was to provide qualified technicians and operators for the power and water desalination plants belonging to Ministry of Electricity and Water. Initially, the center had three programs — Boilers and Turbines Operation Technology, Desalination Operation Technology, and Electrical Generator Operation Technology.

By Mohammad Ghanem Al-Seyassah Staff

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