Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), in its quarterly report issued on Thursday, declared 22 brands of mineral/bottled water as unsafe for human consumption.
PSQCA collected 180 samples of mineral/bottled water brands from Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Sargodha, Sialkot, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Mianwali, Karachi, Tandojam, Badin, Quetta, Loralai, Peshawar Abbottabad, Muzaffarabad and Gilgit.
The report for the last quarter (April to June, 2021) has revealed that 22 brands were unsafe for human consumption according to the comparison of test results with permissible limits of PSQCA.
Fifteen brands (i.e. Pure, Hunza, Hidrade, Blue Plus, Sunlay, Aqua King, Spring Fresh Life, UF Pur Edge, Douro, Dropice, Puricana Mineral, Drops, Best Natural, Al Barkah Water, Koyo) were found to be unsafe due to presence of higher levels of sodium ranging from 60-165 mg/L than PSQCA bottled water quality standard for Sodium (50 mg/L).
One brand (i.e. Drops) was found unsafe due to the presence of a higher level of TDS ranging 629 mg/L than PSQCA water quality standard for TDS (500 mg/L).
One brand (i.e. Pure Nature) was found unsafe due to the presence of higher levels of Arsenic i.e. 24 µg/L than PSQCA water quality standard for Arsenic (10 µg/L).
One brand (i.e. Pure) was found unsafe due to the presence of a higher level of Potassium i.e. 11 mg/L than PSQCA water quality standard for Potassium (10 mg/L).
Six brands (i.e. Alkaline Water, Al-Umer, BROOK, McWay Water, Masafi and Aqua Best,) were found microbiologically contaminated and thus were unsafe.
The government through the Ministry of Science and Technology has assigned the task to the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) for quarterly monitoring of bottled/mineral water brands and publicizing the results in the best interest of public health.
