Water Quality Crisis: PCRWR Identifies 23 Unsafe Bottled Water Brands

News Desk

Islamabad: The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has declared 23 brands of bottled water and mineral water unsafe for human consumption due to microbiological or chemical contamination.

For the second quarter of 2024 (April to June), 209 samples of bottled water brands were collected from 21 cities. Comparison of test results with the bottled water quality standards of Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) has revealed that 23 brands were unsafe for human consumption.

The unsafe brands based on chemical contamination are categorised as follows:

Sodium: Aqua Qismat, Vivo Water, Ruyaal Silver, Smart

Arsenic: Still, Starlite Water, Premium Safa Purified Water

Potassium: Smart Pure Life

Fifteen brands are found contaminated with bacteria and thus are unsafe for drinking purpose. These includeFijji, Asha Premium Drinking Water, Water Plus Premium Drinking Water, Neo Health Drinking Water, Cliff Water Healthy drinking water, Dream Pure, Samar Indus drinking water, Splash water, Crystal Pure Life, Buxton, Kohinoor, BRO H2O, Oriel, Parwaz Water, Masafi.

PCRWR conducts regular checks and monitors bottled and mineral water brands, publishing results quarterly to raise public health awareness. It advised the public to look at the detailed report to know about the status of water quality of bottled water brands they consume.

The detailed report is available on its website www.pcrwr.gov.pk  APP