ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has declared 29 bottled and mineral water brands unsafe for human consumption after they failed to meet prescribed quality standards.
According to the council’s latest report, 230 bottled-water samples were collected from 20 major cities across Pakistan and tested under its quarterly monitoring programme.
The report found bacterial contamination in samples from 22 brands, making it one of the most serious concerns identified during the testing process.
PCRWR also detected excessive sodium levels in samples from nine brands. The prescribed limit for sodium is 50 parts per million (ppm), while some samples were found to contain levels above the permissible limit.
In addition, some bottled-water brands recorded total dissolved solids (TDS) levels above 500 ppm, while several brands were found to have more than one quality violation.
The testing was conducted under a federal government-directed quarterly monitoring programme aimed at assessing the quality of bottled and mineral water available in the market and identifying potential health risks for consumers.
PCRWR has advised consumers to check the quality of bottled water and review relevant testing information before making purchases. The council also urged consumers to avoid products that fail to meet prescribed safety and quality standards.
