Basheer Abu Najm, director of the department of licensing and commercial monitoring, said 97 water samples taken from 29 factories over the past two months were not suitable for drinking.

“Jeddah has of late witnessed a big increase in the number of water bottling factories, which necessitated the introduction of regulations to ensure that these factories comply with safety and health standards,” he said.

The absence of a lab specialist, insufficient processing machines, lack of safety and security measures, bad storage of water and faulty packaging were among the reasons why the factories were penalized, according to Abu Najm.

Abu Najm warned that any plant that violates regulations more than three times a year will be closed down and its license withdrawn.