US Embassy in Kuwait warns its citizens against drinking Mineral water

I just read about this in Arab Times and I’m kinda concerned since all I drink is mineral water and I drink a lot of it, around 6 liters a day.

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 5: The US Embassy in Kuwait has warned its citizens against drinking a certain kind of mineral water, reports Al-Shahed daily. The report could not be independently confirmed.

The embassy in a statement said this water contains contaminants and materials unfit for human consumption and harmful to public health.

The statement said random samples of mineral water, the type sold in the local market, were sent to a special lab in the United States and the results were not convincing.

Sources say the statement added it is surprising the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Kuwait Municipality laboratories have failed to warn citizens and residents against drinking this water.

Here is the link to the article [Link]


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73 comments, add your own...


  1. Kuwaitiful says:

    I wish they had stated which brands exactly. I hope they didn’t mean all of them.

  2. aaa says:

    What a useless article, by not naming the brands they’re going to create a panic for no reason. Dumb.

  3. John Wayne says:

    That’s why it burns when I pee. Hmmmm

  4. Marzouq says:

    I wonder what the regulatory authorities will do with this note!

    I would be interested in a Random Lab test! I wonder how much that would cost!

    Buy a bottle of every brand and send it to a company to be tested and see the results!

    Could be very damaging!

  5. المشعان says:

    BS I Don’t trust their reports

  6. Rayboy says:

    more marketing benefit for those coolplex and water filter salesmen who come to your house.

  7. Kuwait says:

    Guys, wait for the denial/retraction from the Embassy in tomorrow’s papers.

    All’s good :)

  8. bob_baxter says:

    I have checked all over the U.S. Embassies website and I see no mention anywhere of contaminated water.
    Just curious how “they warned citizines?” I was not warned.

    • executemeyourstyle says:

      They warned you through your email if you are registered. I got an email from them. Try to regiser with citizen services (If you already have) then check if there are some sections you missed. At least they do what they can to help and protect the citizens whether it’s political or not.

  9. Keith says:

    I was informed that this article is related to the Abraaj water brand. I remember you covering a similar incident about Abraaj in May 2010. Well! here it is again.

  10. Rotsu says:

    I call BS, unless they have an actual proof of this claim.

  11. 3azeez says:

    US Embassy posts its warnings on their website. If there is nothing about the water over there then there is no warning. I did not check their website but I’m pretty sure there is nothing because the report said ‘the report could not be verified’.

    I call it BS as well.

  12. A.N.A.M.S.B. says:

    I call BS ! But let’s believe em for a. Second to avoid the naive panic we will have , if u are in any panic and don’t call BS just drink imported water cuz ovbisouly if they weren’t convincing then ur water ain’t either so go with fiji or some stuff like that :p

  13. dj says:

    guess its only unfit 4 americans …the others r

    not humans hmmmmmm

    • executemeyourstyle says:

      Why should they take up responsibility to warn every citizen of every country? that’s the responsibility of the countries not theirs :) yes I love to criticize ! I hope 248 allows my comments to be posted rather than ignoring them.

  14. PedroDashT says:

    Pfffffffft a Proper propaganda they want us to buy there water end of discussion :P

  15. enigma says:

    That’s probably related to the abraaj incident. This letter pops up occasionally.

    • Mark says:

      if thats the case someone at arab times is going to get in trouble since i’m sure abraaj doesn’t want to go through that mess again.

      • enigma says:

        I’m pretty sure it is. Our Admin manager is American and we have a number of American staff where I work, and he forwards any notices he receives from the embassy to all the employes.

        Every few months (as recent as yesterday) someone forwards or broadcasts the notice about Abraaj water from May 2010.

        Leave it to Arab Times to report outdated or unreliable information. It wouldn’t be the first time for a local newspaper.

      • Ali says:

        They said “mineral water” !! Abraaj is purefied bottled water !

  16. salman says:

    yes it is abraj ask any one in us military

  17. i Tango says:

    Can anyone name me a FRESH Water Fountain in the whole GCC [except in 3aseer, KSA]!

    Can anyone name me a dependable and FDA/EC approved Water Quality Control Lab in the whole GCC!

    Has anyone ever seen or read a study about depleted Uranium contamination in artesian waters of the GCC

    Well…!!!

    • Qster says:

      Kuwait and the whole GCC isn’t within the FDA’s jurisdiction. The FDA is only responsible for American food and drugs not the worlds.

      • i Tango says:

        This is true, however, countries that import mineral waters produced and bottled in the GCC require this Certification, but this is not my point.

        My point is that we do not know exactly what is the quality of the water we consume.

        Plus, I know for a fact that some USA facilities in Kuwait do run radionuclide and radiation contamination tests on local waters. I know that because our company sold them the instruments used for those tests.

  18. RBM says:

    Most waters on the local market are high in TDS and Sodium.
    Lebanese-originated ones are better value alternatives especially Sohat and not as expensive as Voss, Figi and the others

    • blackswan says:

      Not very relevant. I may see it as covered publicity. TDS (Total dissolved Solids) may range from almost 0 (DM water) to 1000 something (mineral sparkling water). A value between 100 – 500 mg/L is generally accepted as good drinking water. As for the sodium values can go from 2 to 50, depending on the spring, less=better of-course. But your main intake of sodium is from the table salt you use for cooking, fast-food & junk food, not from water. Propaganda machine is working :) .

      For more infos you can always visit : http://www.cleanairpurewater.com/best_bottled_water.html

    • Qster says:

      Figi water is sold in the US so it has to be (according to them) safe.

  19. Nathan says:

    Somewhere in Africa, people have to drink contaminated water.

    Somewhere in Japan, people have their water supplies irradiated by fission products Strontium, Caesium etc.

    Somewhere in India, people have to walk 10-12 miles to reach a public tap that gives water.

    I’m glad that whenever I go to a market I can always find a nice cool bottle of mineral water to drink.

  20. Truewords says:

    Arwa is my fave because it is low on Sodium.

  21. vampire says:

    I never drink mineral water,, the desalinated water in kuwait is the best quality water in the world

  22. Qster says:

    I’ve been living in the US for four years, one thing i learned is this. Americans constantly need something to be afraid of, anyone who has ever seen a LOCAL news cast will know this. Killer bees loose in Texas, Fire ants in California, Killer fungus in Arizona, UFOs in Alabama you name it. They have to be afraid of something.
    In truth however ppl shouldn’t be worried about mineral bottled water in Kuwait, restaurant food now that you should think twice about and inspect before you eat.

  23. TweeZ says:

    filter water wins again!

  24. Security Adviser says:

    Been drinking Kuwait’s desalinated chlorinated water ever since I was born here in this country. No issues whatsoever. And as an US citizen I can tell you honestly I didnt get no notice about the water recently. About Abraj yeah ok but that was like last year and that too it was like a heads up caution not like drink it and you die or something!!

  25. John Fernandes says:

    Should seriously think why we tend to get bald quicker in Kuwait…surely there is something strange in water and too much heat.

  26. nadoxq8 says:

    i my self find kuwait water {taste } the best in the world

    • milton says:

      of course you would. youve tasted every water in the world of course. and youre not at all a die hard patriot because your statement is completely reasonable. Everything about Kuwait is amazing, especially its water

  27. TweeZ says:

    fyi Mark, some of the brands in the picture above contain spring water and not mineral water.

  28. Kuwait.me says:

    I accidentally came across a scanned document on a public computer at work stating the water is “Abraj”.

    The document was from the US embassy in Kuwait and it looked authentic.

  29. Ralph says:

    Drink Sohat, Sannine, Tannourine, Rim, Volvic or Evian.

  30. daily says:

    This press release only serves to panic people- they need to name the brand.

  31. KWTeee says:

    No Joke! This is a warning that is not the first that they have initiated. Common sense, Kuwait, with the rist Gulf war, second Gulf war, government who cares less about the status of the infrastructure, you have these warnings. I have boycotted Kuwait water for years. Wise up! You are being poisoned.

  32. ucf says:

    ohh please .. i study in the US .. their tap water isnt even transparent !!

  33. mocman says:

    someone needs to import american bottled water. that way they wouldnt have to worry about anything. could make a whole lotta money

  34. ff44 says:

    Gone to the Washington Post! Basterds!

  35. N19 says:

    Kuwait should start moving towards filtering tap water anyways. It’s just as clean, saves tons of money, and good for the environment. Studying in the US all I drink is filtered tap water.

  36. goli says:

    that’s a bunch of crap. I receive Warden Messages regularly and this is the first i hear of this

  37. PedroDashT says:

    People in africa are drinking water mixed with mud so please folks just live and let live and be thankful

  38. deQor8 says:

    they are warning against a certain type of mineral water i believe .. not mineral water in general, correct? :)

  39. Summer says:

    I bet this is a rumor! it’s not the first time that they say that the water in Kuwait is not safe and yet we still drink it!!

  40. Donut says:

    Whom are they kidding, They’ve got fluoridated water back home.

  41. Mahmood says:

    I’ve never been fond of Abraaj, too much speculation around their brand of water.

  42. JJQ8 says:

    I don’t think they ment Fiji water cuz it’s No.1 sales in the states

  43. Has30 says:

    Most of the water sold in the market are not ‘Mineral Water’. Almost all the local brands are drinking water, which is basically pipe water filtered and purified and bottled. The warning is against “Mineral Water’ and may make some sense as the so called “Mineral Water’ bottled in fancy bottled and priced accordingly may not contain minerals fit for human consumption.

  44. Anonymous says:

    I dont know why you dont do some gatekeeping and stop posting outdated information

  45. Awrad says:

    Since we are discussing ‘water’ Can someone please help me here…I have a water cooler/dispenser and need to know about a water company who deliver the big 40 gallon water bottle on a weekly basis on a contract..I was using Aqua Cool but for the past 2 weeks they have stopped their water and recently stopped picking up their phone…
    I do not like Rawdatein that much but any info about their big bottles will be appreciated…
    Any other apart from Aqua cool and rawdatein? Please! Thanks!

  46. Ali says:

    Abraaj 1844666

  47. Hammour says:

    Discouraging… I hope Perrier is not part of it! I drink around 1000 ml a day of it!

  48. Sarah AlM says:

    why would the US embassy suddenly decide that they need to sample our water for its purity?


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