MITIGATING OPERATION, QUALITY AND REGULATORY CHALLENGES IN THE PACKAGED DRINKING WATER INDUSTRY: A FAILURE MODE EFFECT ANALYSIS (FMEA) APPROACH

Abstract

Access to safe drinking water is vital for human development; however, challenges arising from industrialization, agriculture, and population growth threaten its availability. The packaged drinking water industry, a crucial alternative, encounters difficulties in meeting quality, operational, and regulatory requirements. Refillable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) jars, undergoing multiple cycles of refilling, pose higher risks of contamination, requiring more attention. This study advocates the use of a proactive method, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), to anticipate and prevent problems in the processing and refilling of PET water jars before they occur, promoting a proactive approach to quality and risk management. Findings reveal inadequate cleaning of PET water jars with the highest Risk Priority Number (RPN) of 378, followed by aging of UV lamp, scaling on the UV lamp shield impacting the disinfection of product water and biological contamination due to unsanitary practices during manual filling of jars, each with RPNs of 315, 324, and 270. Addressing these top contributors promises substantial improvements in water quality. Implementing corrective actions reduced RPNs to 81, 54, 36, & 36, respectively. This systematic application of FMEA yielded significant improvements in quality, safety, and reliability within the packaged drinking water industry. Proactive strategies developed through FMEA hold promise beyond the packaged drinking water industry, improving water quality management.

Keywords

• failure mode and effects analysis (fmea)
• quality and safety
• packaged drinking water
• risk priority number (rpn)