Filter device seller Sterra says sorry for false claims about tap water

Homee-grown firm Sterra, which sells water filtration and other devices, has apologised for making false and misleading claims about the quality of Singapore's tap water.

- Ian Cheng

The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) on Aug 30 said the public apology also comes with a promise that Sterra will not make any more false and misleading claims about Singapore's tap water being unsafe for drinking without the use of its water-purifying filters.

Sterra will also stop making other false claims about its air and water purifiers. If the firm fails to comply, CCCS will take action.

CCCS, the competition watchdog, initiated a probe under its fair trading laws earlier in 2024 into an online advertisement that suggested that the water in Singapore is not fit for drinking directly from the tap. The ad circulated on Instagram and Facebook, and depicted water that teemed with microorganisms like bacteria and algae.

It gained traction after Nanyang Technological University PhD student Clarence Sim debunked claims made by Sterra in an Instagram video on Feb 1 that was widely circulated. The ad was also the subject of several complaints that CCCS received, including from national water agency PUB.