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Sachet water and product registration: a cross-sectional study in Accra, Ghana

Sachet water and product registration: a cross-sectional study in Accra, Ghana
Sachet water and product registration: a cross-sectional study in Accra, Ghana
Objectives: to assess the extent to which packaged water producers follow product registration procedures and to assess the relationship between product registration and drinking water quality in Accra, Ghana.

Methods: following preliminary analysis of a national water quality survey, 118 packaged sachet water samples were collected by sampling all brands sold by 66 vendors. A sample of vendors were selected from two high income and two low-income areas of Accra, Ghana. Sachet packaging and labelling details were recorded and compared to a regulatory database to assess product registration. All samples were weighed and tested for faecal indicator bacteria and selected physico-chemical parameters.

Results: product registration numbers and brand names could be matched to regulatory records for 77 out of 118 sachets (65.2%). All samples tested were compliant with national water quality standards for faecal indicator bacteria and nitrate. Brand registration was not associated with any of the quality indicators considered

Conclusion: the results of this study suggest that whilst a substantial proportion of sachet water is sold without formal product registration, the microbial quality of the unlicensed water is consistently high in Accra, Ghana. Further examination of regulatory enforcement and monitoring will be needed to ensure sustained high water quality over time.
1477-8920
Dzodzomenyo, Mawuli
b3bafe27-4542-4ece-a82a-4717a72df187
Fink, Günther
de53bf46-4351-44e6-8b29-1fef12323ea5
Hill, Allan
5b17aa71-0c14-4fbf-8bc9-807c8294d4ae
Dotse-Gborgbortsi, Winfred
02d3e356-268e-4650-9fb9-9638ccdb6eff
Wardrop, Nicola
8f3a8171-0727-4375-bc68-10e7d616e176
Aryeetey, Genevieve
c1d29b15-bbf2-4eec-8906-c150bd810ebd
Coleman, Nathaniel
83d75539-e25c-4e15-9060-ce9e2c9f714f
Wright, James
94990ecf-f8dd-4649-84f2-b28bf272e464
Dzodzomenyo, Mawuli
b3bafe27-4542-4ece-a82a-4717a72df187
Fink, Günther
de53bf46-4351-44e6-8b29-1fef12323ea5
Hill, Allan
5b17aa71-0c14-4fbf-8bc9-807c8294d4ae
Dotse-Gborgbortsi, Winfred
02d3e356-268e-4650-9fb9-9638ccdb6eff
Wardrop, Nicola
8f3a8171-0727-4375-bc68-10e7d616e176
Aryeetey, Genevieve
c1d29b15-bbf2-4eec-8906-c150bd810ebd
Coleman, Nathaniel
83d75539-e25c-4e15-9060-ce9e2c9f714f
Wright, James
94990ecf-f8dd-4649-84f2-b28bf272e464

Dzodzomenyo, Mawuli, Fink, Günther, Hill, Allan, Dotse-Gborgbortsi, Winfred, Wardrop, Nicola, Aryeetey, Genevieve, Coleman, Nathaniel and Wright, James (2018) Sachet water and product registration: a cross-sectional study in Accra, Ghana. Journal of Water and Health, 16 (2). (doi:10.2166/wh.2018.055).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Objectives: to assess the extent to which packaged water producers follow product registration procedures and to assess the relationship between product registration and drinking water quality in Accra, Ghana.

Methods: following preliminary analysis of a national water quality survey, 118 packaged sachet water samples were collected by sampling all brands sold by 66 vendors. A sample of vendors were selected from two high income and two low-income areas of Accra, Ghana. Sachet packaging and labelling details were recorded and compared to a regulatory database to assess product registration. All samples were weighed and tested for faecal indicator bacteria and selected physico-chemical parameters.

Results: product registration numbers and brand names could be matched to regulatory records for 77 out of 118 sachets (65.2%). All samples tested were compliant with national water quality standards for faecal indicator bacteria and nitrate. Brand registration was not associated with any of the quality indicators considered

Conclusion: the results of this study suggest that whilst a substantial proportion of sachet water is sold without formal product registration, the microbial quality of the unlicensed water is consistently high in Accra, Ghana. Further examination of regulatory enforcement and monitoring will be needed to ensure sustained high water quality over time.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 9 May 2018
e-pub ahead of print date: 30 May 2018

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 421640
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/421640
ISSN: 1477-8920
PURE UUID: 468f445c-8904-4dd8-9e0b-cd5fcfaea15d
ORCID for Allan Hill: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4418-0379
ORCID for Winfred Dotse-Gborgbortsi: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-7627-1809
ORCID for James Wright: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-8842-2181

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Date deposited: 18 Jun 2018 16:30
Last modified: 23 Mar 2024 03:11

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Contributors

Author: Mawuli Dzodzomenyo
Author: Günther Fink
Author: Allan Hill ORCID iD
Author: Winfred Dotse-Gborgbortsi ORCID iD
Author: Nicola Wardrop
Author: Genevieve Aryeetey
Author: Nathaniel Coleman
Author: James Wright ORCID iD

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