The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has declared 29 bottled and mineral water brands unsafe for human consumption after testing 230 water samples collected from 20 major cities across Pakistan.
In this regard, as per the PCRWR’s quarterly report, several brands failed to meet the quality standards prescribed by the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA).
PCRWR laboratory tests identified bacterial contamination in 22 brands. The affected brands include My Sial Bottled Drinking Water, JERS Safe Life, Natural Pure Life, Natural Sip, Almeer, Al-Sehhi, Al-Shifa, Royal Faina, Aqua Nice Pure Life, Noor Aqua, Aqua Pure and Drink Well Pure Drinking Water.
The list also includes Imperial Pure Drinking Water, Zalmi, Deep Blue, Ab-e-Haram, Vital Sip, Hunza Altair Water, Rehydrate Drink Pure Water, Moya Mineral Water, Tynient Aqua and Aqua Pura Smart.
The report further found that nine water brands contained sodium above the prescribed limit of 50 parts per million (ppm). These included HR Water Healthy Life, A to Z Pure Bottled Drinking Water, Pure Drinking Water, Deep Blue Pure Drinking Water, Sip Nest Purified Drinking Water, Ab-e-Haram, Aqua Life Bottled Drinking Water, Water Drinkly and Alpha H2O Bottled Drinking Water.
In this sense, the excessive sodium intake may pose particular risks for people suffering from high blood pressure and kidney-related problems.
Four brands were found to have TDS levels above the permissible limit of 500 ppm. These were A to Z Pure Bottled Drinking Water, Imperial Pure Drinking Water, Ab-e-Haram and Alpha H2O Bottled Drinking Water.
PCRWR Calls for Greater Consumer Awareness
PCRWR Director General Dr Hafza Rasheed said the quality of bottled water available in the market is reviewed every quarter on the federal government’s instructions to help protect public health.
The latest testing covered samples collected between April and June 2026. The council has advised consumers to carefully check the quality and certification of bottled water before purchasing it.
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The findings have also renewed questions about enforcement against companies selling substandard bottled water.
The latest report mentions the need for stronger monitoring, effective penalties and enforcement by relevant regulatory authorities.
