20 Mineral Water Brands Declared Unsafe For Human Consumption

168 samples of mineral or bottled water brands were collected from 22 cities during the quarter of October to December 2022.

20 Mineral Water Brands Declared Unsafe For Human Consumption

The government declared 20 brands of bottled water unsafe for human consumption on Tuesday. The Pakistani government has directed the Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) to conduct quarterly monitoring of bottled and mineral water brands and to publicize the results to raise public health awareness.

168 samples of mineral or bottled water brands were collected from 22 cities during the quarter of October to December 2022.

A comparison of test results with Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) bottled water quality standards revealed that 20 brands were unsafe for human consumption due to microbial, chemical, or both types of contamination.

The twelve brands, such as Best Natural, Excellent Natural, Klear, Pinar, Neno, Ice Drop, Premium Safa, Orwell, Indus, Minwa Kashaf, Barsay, and Nayab Pure Life, were found to be unsafe due to the presence of higher levels of sodium.

Another two brands, Excellent Natural and Aqua One, were deemed unsafe due to the presence of higher-than-allowable levels of potassium, and one brand, Nayab Pure Life, was deemed unsafe due to the presence of higher-than-allowable levels of TDS.

Total dissolved solids (TDS) is a measure of the inorganic and organic substances that are dissolved in water. It is usually measured in parts per million (ppm) or milligrammes per litre (mg/L).

Water with a low TDS level, generally considered to be less than 500 ppm, is considered to be pure and typically safe to drink. However, water with a TDS level above 500 ppm may have an undesirable taste and contain higher levels of dissolved minerals, which can be harmful to human health if consumed in large quantities.

When it comes to drinking water, the TDS level should be as low as possible, as higher TDS levels can affect the taste, odor, and appearance of the water.

Another eight brands, including Alfa Premium, Isberg, Aqua Pack, Sip Up, Ever Pure, Noble, and Neno, were found to be microbiologically contaminated and thus declared unsafe for drinking.

The PCRWR warned the general public to read the detailed report to learn about the water quality of the bottled water brands they used.