According to the monitoring report for the quarter April-June, 2013, eighty six samples of Mineral/Bottled water brands have been collected from Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot, D.G Khan, D.I Khan, Multan, Bahawalpur, Tandojam, Karachi, Quetta, and Peshawar. Comparison of analytical findings with permissible limits of Pakistan Standard Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) has revealed that 27 brands (i.e., Elixir,
Natur Aqua, Aqua Safe, Best Nation, Al Sana, Oxigyzer, Lock, Pan Pura, Kalash Pure Water, Premier Pure Water, Safi Mineral Water, NN Welfare, Aqua Royal, Water Empire, Water Plus, Berg, Lite Wave, Oslo, Zindagi, Mathar, Best Water, Sea Breeze, Cool, Kallan Water, Aqua National, Active and Sunlay) are found to be unsafe due to chemical or microbiological contamination.
Out of those 27 unsafe brands 12 brands (Pan Pura, Kalash Water, Premier Pure Water, Cool, Kallan Water, Aqua National, Oxigyzer, Aqua Safe, Natur Aqua, Lock, Best Nation and Active) have comparatively high level of Arsenic ranging from 12-44 ppb than PSQCA Water Quality Standard for arsenic.
The excessive level of arsenic causes various types of skin diseases‚ diabetes‚ hypertension‚ heart‚ kidney‚ black foot diseases‚ birth defects and multiple types of cancer.
whereas 10 brands (Elixir, Safi Mineral Water, Sunlay, Aqua Royal, Water Empire, Berg, Lite Wave, Water Plus, Mathar and Sea Breeze) are found to be unsafe due to, microbiological contamination which may cause Cholera, Diarrhea, Dysentery, Hepatitis, Typhoid etc. The remaining brands were found unsafe due to the presence of higher levels of sodium, potassium or fluoride.
The national quality control/surveillance authorities should take legal actions against the companies, which are supplying contaminated bottled water to the public and playing havoc with the public health.
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