ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – Pakistan’s national water quality watchdog has declared 27 bottled water brands unsafe for human consumption after laboratory tests detected chemical and microbiological contamination in samples collected from 20 cities.
The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) said it collected and examined samples from 223 bottled water brands during the July-September 2026 quarter as part of its nationwide monitoring programme.
According to its quarterly assessment, 195 brands met the prescribed quality standards, while 27 were found to be unsafe. Six brands failed chemical quality tests and 22 showed evidence of microbiological contamination.
The figures indicate that contamination remains a concern in the country’s packaged drinking water market, despite the majority of tested brands meeting the required standards.
The brands identified as unsafe include Aab-e-Haram, Imperial Pure Drinking Water, Aab-e-Makran, Water Verse Purified, Gel, Sip, AB Blue Water, HR Water Healthy Life, Sufi, Pure Aqua Tech, Aquafine and Water Time.
Other brands listed in the report were Al-Suha, Aab-e-Hayat, K&S Aqua Sea, Jairs Safe Life, Athar Premium, Aqua Dor, HHG Sweets and Bakers, Drinkly, One Flo, Premium Safa, Zalmi Pure Mineral Water, New A2Z, Fresh Smart Pure Water and Aqua Indus.
The PCRWR’s findings cover products sampled from a range of urban centres, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Multan, Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Faisalabad, Sukkur and Gujranwala.
The nationwide sampling programme was intended to assess whether bottled water available to consumers complied with established chemical and microbiological requirements.
Contamination raises public health concerns
Unsafe drinking water can pose health risks, particularly when it contains harmful microorganisms or chemical substances above permitted limits.
Microbiological contamination may expose consumers to disease-causing organisms, potentially leading to gastrointestinal illnesses and other infections. Chemical contamination can also present health concerns, depending on the substance involved, its concentration and the duration of exposure.
The PCRWR’s report did not provide further details in the supplied findings about the specific contaminants detected in each brand or the concentration levels recorded during testing.
The distinction between chemical and microbiological failures is important because the two categories involve different potential sources of contamination and may require different corrective measures.
Microbiological problems can arise from inadequate treatment, unhygienic bottling conditions or contamination during storage and distribution. Chemical quality failures may be linked to the source water, treatment processes or materials used in production and packaging.
The test results highlight the importance of regular monitoring throughout the bottled water supply chain, from water extraction and processing to packaging and retail distribution.
Monitoring and consumer protection
The PCRWR conducts periodic assessments of bottled drinking water to evaluate products against national quality standards. Its quarterly testing programme provides a mechanism for identifying brands that fail to meet required safety criteria.
The latest findings also underline the need for manufacturers to maintain effective quality-control systems and ensure that their products remain safe after leaving production facilities.
Consumers often purchase bottled water because they consider it a safer alternative to untreated supplies. However, the findings demonstrate that packaged water should not automatically be assumed to meet safety requirements.
Consumers may wish to check official quality assessments and pay attention to product labels, seals, manufacturing information and expiry dates when purchasing bottled water.
Regulatory authorities also play a key role in ensuring that manufacturers comply with applicable standards and that products failing safety tests are addressed through appropriate enforcement measures.
The report’s results provide a snapshot of water quality across the sampled brands and locations during the three-month testing period. They do not establish that every product from a listed brand or every batch sold during the period was contaminated.
Further details on individual test results, corrective action and any enforcement measures were not included in the supplied findings.
With bottled water widely used in cities where consumers seek convenient drinking-water options, consistent testing and transparent disclosure of results remain important for public confidence.
The PCRWR’s latest assessment has renewed attention on the quality of packaged drinking water in Pakistan and the need for continued oversight to protect consumers from unsafe products.
