ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has declared 8 brands unfit for drinking. The samples were collected by PCRWR from several cities including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Multan, Lahore, Bahawalpur, Tandojam, Quetta, and Karachi to conduct the tests.
The authority found that the samples contained chemicals and microbiological contaminants that were detrimental to human health.
Following brands were deemed unsafe for drinking by PCRWR after testing 110 samples;
- Edlen Premium, - Aqua Fine, - Pure Aqua, - Livon, - Zam, - Aqua Gold, - Pure 18, and - Aab-e-Noor.
PCRWR concluded that the samples contained following impurities;
- Aqua Fine contains a high level of Arsenic content, 20 ppb to be precise against the PSQCA standard of 10 ppb. - Edlen Premium, Pure Aqua and Livon contain high level of sodium i.e. 57-60 ppm against the PSQCA standard of 50 ppm - Zam, Aqua Gold, Pure 18, and Aab-e-Noor contain microbiological contaminants.
High Arsenic level can cause dangerous skin diseases, birth defects, and multiple cancer types among others. Microbiological contamination causes Hepatitis, Cholera, Typhoid Diarrhoea, Dysentery etc.