PCRWR Declares 24 Bottled Water Brands Unsafe for Consumption

News Desk

Islamabad:  The Government of Pakistan has mandated the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) to conduct quarterly monitoring of bottled and mineral water brands to protect public health and raise awareness.

In its latest quarterly report for January to March 2025, PCRWR collected and analyzed 171 samples of bottled water from 20 major cities across the country. The findings, compared against Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) guidelines, revealed that 24 brands were found unsafe for human consumption due to chemical and microbiological contamination.

According to the report:

Nine brands — Miran Drinking Water, Ashaz Drinking Water, Natural Pure Life, Fresh Drop Pure Drinking Water, Mineral Water, Waterly Pure Drinking Water, Dream Pure, Pak Aqua, and Water Valley — contained excessively high levels of sodium.

Three brands — Atco Drinking Water, Nirmoh Pure Life, and Natural — were contaminated with unsafe levels of arsenic.

One brand, Ashaz Drinking Water, also exceeded the permissible limit of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).

Fourteen brands — Essantia, Blue Water, Maa Jee, Ice Well, Lasani, Pure Aqua, Nirmoh Pure Life, Muskaan Premium Drinking Water, Pure Drinking Water, Waterly Pure Drinking Water, Douro Pure Drinking Water, Aqua Way, Classic, and Aqua Indus — were found to be microbiologically contaminated, making them unsafe for drinking.

The PCRWR has urged consumers to consult the full report to verify the safety of the bottled water brands they use. The detailed findings are available on the PCRWR website: www.pcrwr.gov.pk.