You can’t take chances with your health and water is a vital commodity for us all.

If the quality of the water is called into question, alarm bells will go off.

Last Friday, I heard radio broadcaster Simon Crosskill insist he boils his water before consuming it. Many people, particularly in the Kingston Metropolitan Area are expressing reservations about the safety of the water they consume since it was reported that samples reveal unacceptable high levels of fecal coliforms.

If that is the case, it is a very serious matter of national consequence. Many of the state agencies are reticent to be fully transparent on this issue aware of its political ramifications. To date, a full report on the quality of the water has yet to be made readily available for all to see and make an assessment.

One cannot take chances with the welfare of their family. Safety issues around water gives one cause to pause and look to tried and tested alternatives.

Catherine’s Peak is arguably the best bottled water in Jamaica, produced by the Caribbean’s leading conglomerate GraceKennedy which has meticulous standards. It may be time to stock up on Catherine’s Peak until this is all sorted out.

It has to be said there are no mass reports of people falling ill due to drinking contaminated water. Last Friday, de facto Water Minister Matthew Samuda during an address in Montego Bay was seen drinking bottled tap water, proclaiming there was nothing wrong with it. He went on to say that Jamaica produces the finest water in the Caribbean and the world readily acknowledges the exquisite quality of Jamaican water.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness also drank water to allay fears.

Catherine’s Peak goes through rigorous quality testing and does not have that alkaline aftertaste that one finds with many bottled water products.

We are now in a protectionist era with the United States taking an America-first approach. This will hurt us in Jamaica where we import so much. Rather than opt for Evian or Perrier, go with Catherine’s Peak of Jamaica. Build Jamaica, buy Jamaican.

With Catherine’s Peak, you won’t have to second-guess quality issues. You will not fall sick drinking it. It has been tried and tested for decades.  It is quality pure spring water from the Blue Mountains. Catherine’s Peak can hold its own against any bottled water in the world.

The NWC maintains there are no water quality issues with its supply in Kingston and St Andrew and Minister of Local Government Desmond McKenzie says this is a case of political mischief at a time when the Government is rolling out greater water supply across the country.

Still, you don’t want to take chances, it is better to take precautions.

The issue of the quality of the water drew national attention when junior shadow minister on health Jesse James Clarke said: “The Ministry of Health came out and said the water was safe but at the same time the National Water Commission (NWC) is producing results showing it is not.

“We have seen results that are quite alarming and we brought it to the public because we felt that  not much was done to make the public aware of the risk they were being exposed to. After I brought these results to the public, I was accused of bringing false information and telling lies. However, I just want to highlight the results that we have here today.

“It is showing what the levels of coliform should be. Just for everyone, coliform is bacteria found in faeces and also in soil. They are an indication of the quality of water supply. You should not have coliform levels going above five per cent. When you look at what is happening at a lot of rural water treatment sites, it is very clear from the graph that what you have at source is almost five times the allowable limit. You have five times the amount of germs that should be in the water and these are coliform .

“This means that you have very bad water quality after water was treated. Knowing this, the water was still distributed and there was distribution where the level is almost three times the allowable limit, at 17 for rural communities.”

Government officials are calling for Clarke to be fired for spreading misinformation and making false statements which could lead to national panic. Both the Ministry of Health and the NWC continue to refute his claims.

Then it turns out that the Ministry of Health tested water samples from the NWC which came back positive for the bacteria E-coli but insisted there is no cause for alarm.

A full study has to be done and an independent third party is brought in to determine the quality of the water. Until then, drink Catherine’s Peak.

When evaluating water quality consider these factors:

1. Source: Where does the water come from?

2. Purification process: What methods are used to purify the water?

3. Mineral content: What minerals are present in the water and at what levels?

4. Safety features: What measures are in place to ensure the water is safe to drink?