Q Is it time to regulate suppliers of seawater because of cholera?
In theory, this would be best for public safety and consumer protection but in practice, it's extremely complicated, especially when you can't determine the origin of something as difficult to label as water.
What are you going to do? License the suppliers? I have been in this supply business for 20 years and you would be fighting some pretty entrenched business practices.
The most effective reform that can be immediately practised is to move spot checks by health inspectors up the supply chain.
Now, inspectors spot-check only water samples once the fish and other live seafoods have already hit the tanks at wet markets or supermarkets. If contamination has already occurred, good luck to customers who are buying from fish tanks that have escaped health checks.
Let's try to take samples before the water and seafood hit the markets.
