S$3,500 fine for owner of unlicensed bottled water firm who used tap water from toilet to sell to customers

SINGAPORE — The owner of a bottled water company was fined S$3,500 in court on Wednesday (March 3) for operating an unauthorised water bottling facility without a valid licence.

Richard Lim Lian Chye — the owner of Drinkstar Enterprise — had admitted to carrying out the illegal water bottling activities by filling up 19-litre water bottles with tap water from the toilet at the firm’s premises at 55 Serangoon North Ave 4.

In a media release, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said that officers from the agency had conducted an inspection at the premises of Drinkstar Enterprise on Dec 18, 2019 following feedback from a member of the public.

There, the officers found several empty 19-litre water bottles and water dispensers.

SFA said that Lim had admitted to carrying out the illegal water bottling facilities by “filling up (the) 19-litre bottles with tap water from the toilet of the premises”.

The bottled water was then sold to customers to fulfil the firm’s outstanding sales orders.

SFA said that Lim was instructed to stop the water bottling activities and was required to recall the bottled water that had been sold.

A total of 15 units of 19-litre water bottles were recalled and disposed of, the agency said.

SFA stressed that the illegal bottling of water at unlicensed facilities poses a food safety risk.

In Singapore, all water bottling facilities must be licensed and are required to meet SFA’s requirements and food safety standards.

These licensed premises are also routinely inspected by SFA, the agency said.

SFA said that those found bottling water illegally can be fined up to S$5,000.

In the case of subsequent convictions, they can be fined up to S$10,000, jailed for up to three months, or both.