29 Bottled and Mineral Water Brands Declared Unsafe for Consumption: PCRWR

The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has declared 29 bottled and mineral water brands unsafe for human consumption after testing 230 samples collected from 20 major cities during April to June 2026.

The findings, released under the government’s quarterly water quality monitoring programme, showed the brands failed to meet Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) standards due to bacterial and/or chemical contamination.

According to the report, 22 brands were contaminated with bacteria. Nine brands exceeded the safe sodium limit of 50 parts per million (ppm), while four had total dissolved solids (TDS) above the permissible 500 ppm threshold.

PCRWR has advised consumers to check the quality status of bottled water brands before purchase or consumption. The council regularly publishes detailed results to promote public health awareness.