PCRWR: Unsafe bottled water found

The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCR has found 21 brands of bottled water unsafe for consumption. According to a quarterly report, 21 brands including Best Water, Sea Breeze, Aab-e-Kech, Ideal Life, Natural, Standard, Aqua Hygienic, Natural Aqwah, Aquatic Fresh, Butt, Cool, Premier, Al-Sana, Effort, Aqua National, Aftab Qarshi, Nectar, Lite Aqua, Fit, Minter & Aqua Smart were found to be unsafe due to chemical or microbiological contamination. Out of these 21 brands, eight brands Natural, Butt, Cool, Premier, Al-Sana, Aqua National, Nectar and Fit have high level of arsenic ranging from 14 to 66 ppb. The poor quality of drinking water in the country has forced a large cross-section of citizens to buy bottled water, said a press release. As a consequence of this expanding market, a mushroom growth of bottled water industry in the country has been witnessed during the last few years.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2014.