'Water from refill outlets not safe'

'Water from refill outlets not safe'

JAKARTA: Researchers from the Bogor Institute of Agriculture
(IPB) cautioned consumers against buying drinking water from
refilling outlets as it could be contaminated with harmful
bacteria.

Dr. Suprihatin told a seminar here on Friday that 16 percent
of the 120 samples of drinking water from refill outlets in
Jakarta, Bogor, Bekasi, Tangerang and six other major cities in
the country contained a bacteria called poliform, which could
cause diarrhea, stomach aches and other health problems.

Most of the samples also had a high concentration of chemicals
such as iron, manganite, fluoride and nitrite, she said.

Outlets refilling 23-liter bottles of drinking water can be
easily found throughout major cities in the country. While
drinking water companies charge consumers about Rp 8,000 a
bottle, drinking water refill outlets charge as little as Rp
2,500.

Suprihatin, who headed a team of researchers from the
Laboratory of Environment Technology and Management at the
institute, said 60 percent of the samples did not meet one of the
factors of the national health standard, and 34 percent did not
meet the health requirements set by the Ministry of Health.

The team recommended that the government increase its control
over the quality of water from refill stations to guarantee
consumers' safety. --Antara