Bottled water industry expands to 81 plants

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR) has stated that the sultanate's bottled drinking water industry has expanded. Currently 81 plants are operational producing approximately 7.7mn lt of bottled water daily.

The growth underscores the sultanate's response to the increasing demand for clean drinking water, fuelled by socio-economic growth.

These factories are strategically located across the sultanate. South Sharqiyah has 15 plants, North Batinah has 12, South Batinah 11, Muscat and Dhofar ten each, Dakhliyah eight, North Sharqiyah five, Dhahirah and Buraimi four each, and Al Wusta has two.

This geographical spread is indicative of MAFWR'S commitment to ensuring availability of bottled drinking water throughout the sultanate.

In a move to regulate this burgeoning industry, the ministry has set technical regulations and conditional approvals for new projects. These preliminary approvals are crucial for completing further processes with other government bodies, ensuring that all projects meet the country's stringent health and safety standards.

To further bolster local entrepreneurship in the sector, MAFWR is actively encouraging Omani investors to explore opportunities in the bottled water industry. It is also advocating allocation of water resources for these projects aligning with Oman's national priorities and regulatory frameworks.

Additionally, the ministry informed that 864 water licences were issued in January 2024 for a range of activities – burrowing wells, constructing dams, developing aflaj and drilling projects across the governorates.