ADاشتہار / AdvertisementGoogle Ad
27 Bottled Water Brands Unsafe, PCRWR Warns ConsumersHealth
PCRWR tested 223 samples from 20 cities and found 27 bottled water brands unsafe because of bacteria and chemical contamination.
Share:
Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has declared 27 commercially available bottled and mineral water brands unsafe for human consumption after finding microbiological and chemical contamination in them.
The findings come from the council’s quarterly monitoring for the third quarter of 2026, covering July to September. On the government’s directives, PCRWR collected 223 samples of bottled water brands from 20 major cities across the country to check whether they met the quality standards set by the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA).
ADاشتہار / AdvertisementGoogle Ad
According to the test results, three brands, Aab-e-Haram, AB-Blue Water and HR Water Healthy Life, were found to contain excessive sodium levels ranging from 94 to 164 parts per million, against the permissible limit of 50 parts per million.
Aab-e-Haram was also found to have a total dissolved solids level of 680 parts per million, above the prescribed limit of 500 parts per million. Fresh Smart Pure Water contained potassium at 20 parts per million, double the permissible limit of 10 parts per million.
Two brands, Akwafine Bottled Drinking Water and Premium Safa Purified Water, were found to contain excessive arsenic levels ranging from 13.5 to 23.2 parts per billion, against the permissible limit of 10 parts per billion.
The report further revealed that 22 brands were contaminated with bacteria, making them unsafe for drinking. These included Aab-e-Haram, Douro, Aab-e-Makuran, Water Verse Purified, Jel Bottled Drinking Water, Sip Bottled Drinking Water, Safi Bottled Drinking Water, Pure Aqua Tech Bottled Drinking Water, Aqua Grain Bottled Drinking Water, Water Time Bottled Drinking Water and Al Saha Drinking Water, among others.
PCRWR has urged consumers to consult the detailed quarterly report before buying or drinking bottled water, so that they can make informed choices and protect their health. The complete report is available on the council’s website at www.pcrwr.gov.pk.
The quarterly exercise is a regular check on the bottled water sold in markets across the country. Brands that fail the PSQCA standards on sodium, dissolved solids, potassium, arsenic or bacterial presence are flagged as unsafe, and the council publishes the names so that buyers can avoid them.
Health experts have long warned that contaminated bottled water can carry serious risks, particularly for children and people with weak immunity. The latest results are a reminder for households to check the brand they buy against the PCRWR list before use.
Related Coverage
