PCRWR’s April-June assessment found bacterial contamination, excessive sodium and high TDS levels in several bottled and mineral water brands.
ISLAMABAD: A quarterly quality assessment of bottled and mineral water has found 29 of 230 brands tested across Pakistan to be substandard and unsafe for consumption, raising concerns over the quality of commercially available drinking water.
The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) conducts quarterly monitoring of bottled and mineral water brands available in the market on government directions.
For the latest assessment, PCRWR collected samples of 230 bottled and mineral water brands from 20 cities during the April-June 2026 quarter. The samples were analysed in laboratories according to standards recommended by the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA).
Laboratory testing found bacterial contamination in several brands, while others exceeded recommended limits for sodium and total dissolved solids (TDS).
Nine brands were found to contain excessive sodium. They were HR Water Healthy Life, A2Z Pure Bottled Drinking Water, Pure Drinking Water, Deep Blue Pure Drinking Water, Sup Nest Pure Drinking Water, Aab-e-Haram, Aqua Life Bottled Drinking Water, Drinklay and Alpha H2O Bottled Drinking Water.
The assessment also detected excessive TDS in four brands: A2Z Pure Bottled Drinking Water, Imperial Pure Drinking Water, Aab-e-Haram and Alpha H2O Bottled Drinking Water. The recommended safe limit for TDS is 500 parts per million (ppm).
PCRWR found bacterial contamination in 22 brands. These included My Sial Bottled Drinking Water, JERS Safe Life Bottled Drinking Water, Natural Pure Life, Natural Sup, Al Meer Bottled Drinking Water, Al-Saha Drinking Water, Al-Shifa Pure Life, Royal Fina Bottled Drinking Water, Aqua Nice Pure Life, Noor Aqua, Aqua Pure, Drink Well Pure Drinking Water, Imperial Pure Drinking Water, Zalmi, Deep Blue Pure Drinking Water, Aab-e-Haram, Vital Sup Bottled Drinking Water, Hunza Alter Water, Rehydrate8 Drink Pure Water, Moya Mineral Water, Tynant Aqua Bottled Drinking Water and Aqua Pura Smart.
The presence of harmful microorganisms indicates that affected brands may pose health risks if consumed without appropriate treatment.
The findings have renewed concerns over the monitoring and regulation of bottled water sold across the country. Regular laboratory testing is important to ensure commercially available drinking water complies with established safety and quality standards.
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