Over 2 Dozen Bottled Water Brands Fail Safety Tests in Pakistan due to ‘Dangerous Contaminants’ | CVHD

ISLAMABAD – Bottled water is supposed to offer safer alternative to tap water in Pakistan, but laboratory findings raised serious questions about what consumers across Pakistan are actually drinking. The investigation found 27 bottled and mineral water brands containing excessive arsenic, sodium and potentially harmful bacterial contamination.

The disturbing findings emerged from latest quarterly assessment conducted by Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), which examined 223 bottled drinking water samples collected from 20 cities. According to the results, 195 brands, or approximately 87 percent of those assessed, met the required safety standards. However, 27 were found unsuitable for human consumption after failing chemical, microbiological or both categories of testing.

List of 27 Unsafe Bottled Water Brands in Pakistan

The following brands and samples were identified as unsafe in the reported PCRWR findings:

2. Imperial Pure Drinking Water

5. Jel Bottled Drinking Water

6. Sip Bottled Drinking Water — Malir, Karachi

7. Sip Bottled Drinking Water — Shahdara, Lahore

10. Safi Bottled Drinking Water

11. Pure Aqua Tech Bottled Drinking Water

12. Akwafine Bottled Drinking Water

13. Water Time Bottled Drinking Water

22. One Flow Bottled Drinking Water

23. Premium Safa Purified Water

24. Xalmi / Zalmi Pure Mineral Water

The findings brought renewed attention to the country’s bottled water industry, particularly the safety of lesser-known products sold to consumers who often assume that sealed bottles guarantee clean drinking water.

The laboratory findings revealed two major problems: chemical contamination and the presence of coliform bacteria. Six brands failed chemical quality checks, while 22 showed microbiological contamination. One brand appeared in both categories, bringing the total number of unsafe brands to 27.

Although none of the samples tested positive for E. coli, investigators discovered coliform bacteria in several products, an indication of possible contamination during water collection, treatment, bottling or handling. Some products also contained excessive concentrations of arsenic, sodium, potassium and total dissolved solids, raising concerns about the quality of water being packaged and sold to the public.

Among the most concerning findings was the detection of arsenic concentrations exceeding national drinking water standards. Akwafine Bottled Drinking Water, associated with MKS Beverages in Gujranwala, recorded an arsenic concentration of 23.2 parts per billion (ppb), compared with the permissible maximum of 10 ppb.

Another product, Premium Safa Purified Water from Multan, contained 13.5 ppb of arsenic, also above the allowable limit. Arsenic exposure is particularly concerning because prolonged consumption of contaminated drinking water can contribute to serious health problems, including skin disorders and an increased risk of certain cancers.

Fresh Smart Pure Water failed the potassium test after laboratory analysis revealed a concentration of 20 ppm, twice the applicable standard of 10 ppm. The findings highlight how bottled water can appear clean and transparent while still containing dissolved substances that exceed health-based or quality-related limits.

Some secondary accounts also mention Douro and Aqua Grain Bottled Drinking Water among products associated with microbiological contamination. Variations have appeared in reported brand spellings and sampling locations, including AB-Blue versus A B-Blue and Xalmi versus Zalmi. The two Sip samples were also associated with different locations.

Samples were collected from Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Sargodha, Sahiwal, Tando Jam, Badin, Dera Ismail Khan, Bahawalpur, Mianwali, Muzaffarabad, Gilgit and Sukkur.

Despite the disturbing discoveries, the laboratory assessment also provided reassurance about several established bottled water products. Major brands reported to have satisfied the prescribed standards during this testing cycle included Nestlé Pure Life, Aquafina, Dasani, Murree Sparkletts and Culligan.

The findings also demonstrated why consumers should pay close attention to exact product names rather than assuming similarly named brands are connected.

Aqua Pure, Imperial Pure among top Bottled Water Brands in Pakistan declared Unsafe