Haiti - Water Contamination: State Urges Sector Businesses to Comply with Standards

PORT-AU-PRINCE.— The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI) has granted a 22-day period to companies specializing in the treatment and distribution of drinking water to comply with the regulatory requirements governing this sector.

The measure is contained in a circular published on March 2, 2026, in which authorities remind the operators concerned of the obligation to respect the provisions of the Decree of March 11, 2020, relating to the regulation and control of the production and trade of foodstuffs.

This decision follows a report from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry revealing that approximately 87.5% of drinking water analyzed in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince shows signs of contamination. This finding raises serious concerns about the health risks associated with the consumption of treated water sold on the market.

Given this situation, authorities have decided to remind sector operators of the health and regulatory standards in force while granting them a period to comply.

The circular also provides for the establishment of monitoring mechanisms aimed at guaranteeing product traceability. Sales kiosks will notably have to keep transaction proofs, such as invoices and receipts, to allow tracing the origin of distributed products.

Furthermore, authorities recommend the installation of additional water treatment devices in resale kiosks, including filters, ultraviolet (UV) lamps, or ozonizers, to reduce the risks of contamination.

Through this initiative, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry intends to strengthen the regulation of the drinking water sector and improve health controls. The companies concerned now have twenty-two days to comply with these provisions, failing which they could be subject to measures during controls carried out by the competent authorities.

Jean Mapou / Le Relief