Packaged water not that pure

IISc study warns canned water can be carcinogenic

If you believe packaged water in 20-litre cans and sachets is safe to drink, think again.

An IISc study warns that most of the samples of canned water tested in the city do not have necessary minerals and are, in fact, dangerous to one’s health and in some cases, carcinogenic.

There are over 500 illegal water packaging units operating in the city, and they do not treat water as per norms and sell it with fake ISI logos.

Unfortunately, there is no agency to check the quality of water and ensure that the people get safe drinking water.

Across the city, grocery stores are stocked with 20litre cans and one is not sure whether they have the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) certification, which is mandatory. The experts point out that water with less than 100 ppm TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) dissolves some amounts of plastic, causing cancer. Also, the reverse osmosis process, which most of these water units employ, robs water of almost all the essential minerals.

Mr Srinivas, a senior official at Classic Choice packaged mineral water unit, told Deccan Chronicle that over 1,500 packaged water units have been issued licences in the city, but another 500 units operate illegally.

A majority of these units thrive with the help of politicians. “The raids conducted by various government departments are just for show. Licensed units, however, submit monthly reports. Still, there should be a mechanism to keep a check on illegal water units,” he said.

During a visit to grocery stores at Kumarswamy Layout, DC found that a lot of them sell 20-litre cans without BIS mark. The largest consumers of canned water here are students from a nearby college.