PCRWR declares 27 bottled water brands unsafe for drinking in Pakistan

Pakistan’s water research council has declared 27 bottled water brands unsafe for human consumption, after laboratory tests found bacterial and chemical contamination in samples collected across the country.

The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) released the findings of its third-quarter monitoring for July to September 2026 on Thursday. Under government directives, the council collected 223 samples from 20 major cities and tested them against the quality standards set by the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA).

What the tests found

Three brands — Aab-e-Haram, AB-Blue Water and HR Water Healthy Life — carried sodium levels of 94 to 164 parts per million, far above the permissible limit of 50 ppm. Aab-e-Haram also showed total dissolved solids of 680 ppm, against a limit of 500 ppm, while Fresh Smart Pure Water contained potassium at 20 ppm, double the allowed 10 ppm.

Two more brands, Akwafine Bottled Drinking Water and Premium Safa Purified Water, were found to contain arsenic at 13.5 to 23.2 parts per billion, above the permissible limit of 10 ppb.

Bacteria in 22 brands

The heaviest count was bacterial contamination. Twenty-two brands were found unsafe on that count alone: 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.

What consumers should do

PCRWR has urged consumers to check the detailed quarterly report before buying or drinking any bottled water brand. The full report is available on the council’s website, pcrwr.gov.pk.