Over 20 Water Brands Found Unsafe for Drinking

The Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has declared 23 bottled water brands unsafe for human consumption due to microbiological and chemical contamination.

Under government instructions, PCRWR monitors bottled and mineral water brands quarterly to ensure public safety. For the second quarter of 2025 (April–June), the agency collected 203 samples from 21 major cities and tested them against Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) benchmarks.

Key Findings:

• 11 brands were found to contain excessive sodium, including:
  • New Mehran
  • Aqua 111
  • Nice Pure Max
  • Pure Drinking Water
  • Logic
  • Himalya Cool
  • Natural Pure Life
  • Natural
  • Forever Bottled Drinking Water
  • Drinkly Pure Drinking Water
  • Qudrat Water
• 4 brands contained dangerously high levels of arsenic:
  • Atco Drinking Water
  • Aqua Nest
  • Pani
  • New Mountain
• 1 brand, Vey Forever, exceeded the safe limit for potassium.
• 9 brands were contaminated with bacteria:
  • Noble Pure Drinking Water
  • Aqua 111
  • Clear
  • Wah Water
  • Nice Pure Max
  • Aqua King
  • Maa Jee
  • Freshin
  • Iceland

PCRWR advised the public to consult the complete test report to verify the safety status of bottled water brands in use.