The Honiara City Council (HCC) Environmental Health Unit has officially cleared SASA Water and ENARGY Water to resume operations after a recent temporary closure to address health and safety concerns.
According to Mr. Derick Willie, the Director of Environmental Health, both companies were thoroughly assessed to ensure they comply with good manufacturing practices and public health standards before reopening.
He explained that ENARGY Water’s issue was twofold, relating to good manufacturing processes and a foul odour complaint. Upon inspection, the team also found that the company’s bottled water products lacked date markings, a key requirement for consumer safety.
Mr. Willie stated that the Environmental Health team worked closely with the company to implement corrective measures. These included improvements to hygiene and drainage systems to prevent wastewater from flowing back into the borehole, an important step in maintaining the safety of the water source.
“After the corrective actions were completed, our team collected samples from ENARGY Water’s bottled products and sent them for laboratory testing, underwent first reading and second reading,” Mr. Willie said. “The results showed significant improvement, and the products now meet the national drinking water quality standards.”
Based on these improvements, the Environmental Health Unit has issued ENARGY Water a clearance certificate to continue operations. Mr. Willie emphasized that ENARGY Water complied fully with the council’s requirements, which allowed for their business to be operated.
For SASA Water, the main issue identified was related to maintaining good manufacturing practices rather than the product itself, said Mr. Willie.
He said that the company’s water products met quality standards, but the facility needed to strengthen its hygiene practices, staff training, building structure, and drainage systems to ensure long-term safety.
“The product from SASA Water is safe,” he explained, “but the preconditions for producing quality water, such as proper hygiene, trained personnel, and good processing equipment, must always be maintained. If these are neglected, it could affect the safety and quality of the product in the future.”
Mr. Willie also issued a reminder to the public to always check the date markings on ENARGY bottled water before purchasing.
He warned that products without date marks should not be bought, as these may not meet proper labelling or manufacturing standards.
The Environmental Health Director reaffirmed HCC’s commitment to ensuring that all water bottling companies operating in Honiara adhere to health regulations to safeguard public health.
“Our aim is not to shut down businesses,” he said, “but to make sure they follow proper procedures that protect the health and well-being of the people.”
Source: Honiara City Council