ISLAMABAD: To monitor and improve the quality of bottled water, the Government of Pakistan through Ministry of Science and Technology has designated the task to PCRWR for quarterly monitoring of bottled/mineral water brands and publicize the results.
11 brands of mineral water declared as unsafe by PSQCA
According to the monitoring report for the quarter from October to December, 2016, 78 samples of Mineral/Bottled water brands have been collected from Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Quetta, Peshawar, Muzaffarabad Faisalabad, Sargodha, Multan, Lahore and Tando Jam.
Mineral water 90% brands unregistered in Pakistan
Comparison of analytical findings with permissible limits of Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) has revealed that 11 brands (i.e. Well Care, Lite Aqua, New Premier, Royal Blue, Aqua Safe, Aqua Drink Water, Rahat, Oslo, NG Fresh Water, Nurturmil Water and Aab e Khoob) were found to be unsafe due to chemical and microbiological contaminations.
According to PCRWR, out of those unsafe brands, 7 brands (i.e. Well Care, Lite Aqua, New Premier, Royal Blue, Aqua Safe, Aqua Drink Water and Rahat) have comparatively high levels of Arsenic ranging from 12-34 ppb than PSQCA water quality standard for arsenic (10 ppb).