PCRWR Declares 27 Bottled Water Brands Unsafe for Consumption

Water Quality Tests Reveal Contamination in 27 Commercial Brands

By News Desk On Nov 7, 2026

ISLAMABAD (Staff Reporter): The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has declared 27 commercially available bottled and mineral water brands unsafe for human consumption after detecting microbiological and chemical contamination during its third-quarter monitoring (July–September 2026).

Under government directives, PCRWR conducted its routine quarterly assessment of bottled water brands and collected 223 samples from 20 major cities across the country to evaluate their compliance with quality standards established by the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA).

According to the test results, three brands — Aab-e-Haram, AB-Blue Water and HR Water Healthy Life — contained excessive sodium levels ranging from 94 to 164 parts per million (ppm), exceeding the permissible limit of 50 ppm.

Aab-e-Haram was also found to have a total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration of 680 ppm, above the prescribed limit of 500 ppm. Meanwhile, Fresh Smart Pure Water contained potassium at 20 ppm, twice the permissible limit of 10 ppm.

The assessment also identified excessive arsenic concentrations in two brands, Akwafine Bottled Drinking Water and Premium Safa Purified Water. Their arsenic levels ranged between 13.5 and 23.2 parts per billion (ppb), compared with the allowable limit of 10 ppb.

The report further revealed that 22 bottled water brands were contaminated with bacteria and declared unsafe for drinking.

The affected brands include Aab-e-Haram, Douro, Aab-e-Makuran, Water Verse Purified, Jel Bottled Drinking Water, Sip Bottled Drinking Water, Safi Bottled Drinking Water, Pure Aqua Tech Bottled Drinking Water, Aqua Grain Bottled Drinking Water, Water Time Bottled Drinking Water, Al Saha Drinking Water, Aab-e-Hayat, K&S Aqua Sea, JERS Safe Life, Athar Premium, Aqua Dor, HHG Sweets and Bakers, Drinkly, One Flow Bottled Drinking Water, Zalmi Pure Mineral Water, New A2Z Bottled Water and Aqua Indus.

PCRWR has advised consumers to consult its detailed quarterly assessment before purchasing or consuming bottled water products to make informed choices and protect their health.

The complete report, containing details of the tested brands and their quality status, is available on the council’s official website at www.pcrwr.gov.pk.