JEDDAH: Local bottled water consumption during the summer, Umrah and Haj seasons this year will increase by 10 percent.

“This translates into an annual growth rate of between 4 percent and 5 percent,” Rashed Bin-Zouma, a water industry expert, was quoted as saying in a local publication.

According to Bin-Zouma, the Kingdom is the largest consumer of desalinated water worldwide, with sales increasing during the summer, Umrah and Haj seasons due to the hot weather. He said the abundant supply of bottled water and competition in the industry benefits consumers in the end, as companies work to reduce their prices in order to win the largest number of customers.

Bin-Zouma attributed the increase in consumption of bottled water to the growth in the population, as well as increased awareness of the importance of drinking clean and safe water. He pointed to the significant increase — more than 6.5 billion liters per year — in the production capacity of local factories. The Saudi Food and Drugs Authority estimates 45 companies are working in the field of bottled water, with investments estimated at SR8 billion. “It is predicted that the number is much higher and likely to grow even more in the future,” he said.