28 Bottled Water Brands Declared Unsafe for Drinking

The Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has declared 28 bottled water brands unsafe for drinking due to harmful chemical and microbiological contamination.

The findings were based on 176 water samples collected from 20 cities across Pakistan. The tested brands failed to meet the Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) safety guidelines, making them unfit for human consumption.

Among the identified brands, 10 were found to contain excessive sodium levels, including Miran Drinking Water, Pak Aqua, Jel Bottled Water, Neo, Aab-e-Dubai, Eltsen, Pure Water, Aqua Health, Oslo, and More Plus.

In addition, five brands—One Pure Drinking Water, Indus, Premium Safa Purified Water, Orwell, and Natural Pure Life—contained arsenic beyond safe limits. Another brand, Hunza Utter Water, had potassium levels exceeding the permissible range.

Further testing also revealed bacterial contamination in 16 brands, including SS Water, Sip Sip Premium Drinking Water, Miran Drinking Water, D-Nova, Sky Rain, Neo, Pure Water, Dream Pure, Aqua Sharav Pure Drinking Water, Marvi, Ice Well, Akb Sky, Karakorum Spring Water, More Plus, Essentia, and Life Inn.

Officials have advised the public to be cautious when purchasing bottled water and ensure they choose brands that comply with safety standards to avoid health risks.