Mineral Water Brands in Pakistan that Declared Unsafe

Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) identified 22 bottled water brands as hazardous for human consumption.

The government has assigned the task to the PCRWR through the Ministry of Science and Technology for quarterly monitoring of mineral or bottled water brands and to publicize the results in the best interest of public health.

From April to June, 180 samples of mineral/ bottled water brands were collected from the cities including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Sialkot, Sahiwal, Multan, Bahawalpur, Mianwali, D.G. Khan, Karachi, Badin, Tandojam, Quetta, Loralai, Abbottabad, Peshawar, Muzaffarabad, and Gilgit. In comparing the test results with allowable limits of Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), it was found that 22 brands were harmful to drinking.

Fifteen brands that were found to be unsafe include: Pure, Blue Plus, Best Natural, Hunza, Hidrade, Sunlay, UF Pur Edge, Aqua King, Spring Fresh Life, Drops, Douro, Dropice, Puricana Mineral, Koyo, and Al Barkah Water due to higher levels of sodium present in them ranging from 60-165 mg/L as compared to PSQCA bottled water quality standard for Sodium, which was 50 mg/L.

One brand named ‘Drops’ was revealed as ‘unsafe’ owing to the presence of a higher level of total dissolved solids (TDS) ranging 629 mg/L which was 500 mg/L per PSQCA water quality standard for TDS.

Another brand called ‘Pure Nature’ was found hazardous due to the presence of 24 µg/L arsenic than 10 µg/L arsenic permissible according to PSQCA water quality standard.

A brand known as ‘Pure’ was revealed as ‘unsafe’ owing to the presence of 11 mg/L potassium against 10 mg/L allowable per PSQCA water quality standard for potassium.

Read more: Biological Links Between Eating Red Meat and Cancer

Besides, six brands including Alkaline Water, Al-Umer, Aqua Best, BROOK, McWay Water, and Masafi were found microbiologically polluted and declared unsafe for drinking.