The Public Health Ministry (SESPAS) has reached an agreement with the water bottling industry here to stop the sale of drinking water in plastic bags, but not before closing seven bottlers and ordering several others to suspend operations until they can meet minimum safety and quality standards. The agreement also calls for toughening the quality and safety standards and for the industry to conduct a public education campaign about safe drinking water practices. The pact is to be formally announced today by Public Health Minister Dr. Altagracia Guzm?n Marcelino. Recent tests of bottled drinking water commissioned by SESPAS’ Environmental Health Directorate identified a quality control problem in water sold in plastic bags. The bags are individual portions that are sold in many neighborhood minimarts ("colmados") and by street vendors.
