A new study has found 26 water bottles across Pakistan unfit for consumption because of the serious risks of contamination, with six of them being sold in Karachi.
As per the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) Q3 report, a total of 205 bottled water brands were tested across Pakistan between July till September 2025, among them 28 samples were taken from Karachi.
The study found that 26 brands did not comply with the essential safety and health standards for chemical safety that are sold throughout Pakistan.
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The report showed that a number of samples had high levels of sodium that could be a health risk for people suffering from heart diseases or blood pressure issues, or those who have a restricted sodium diet.
Test results revealed the four products were flagged as having excessive sodium content. In addition, five other brands had arsenic levels over the limit allowed. Both of the violations point to the danger of contamination and require scrutiny.
Two brands were found to have Total Dissolved Solids higher than the limit prescribed, and other brands showed potassium levels greater than the approved standards. The chemical imbalances render the products unsafe for human consumption.
The report revealed that several Karachi-based water bottles didn’t meet standards of safety for a variety of reasons.
Pure Drinking Water, Fresh Aqua, as well as Asia Healthy Drinking Water were declared unsafe because of contamination by harmful microbes. In addition, Premium Drinking Water and Maya Premium Drinking Water were declared unfit due to similar bacterial contamination.
READ: Pakistan declares 23 bottled water brands unsafe for drinking
Furthermore, Purifa and Pure Drinking Water were considered to be unsafe due to the high sodium levels, rendering them unsuitable for use by consumers.
Brands that have high levels of sodium include Ultsun. Brands with arsenic contamination include Natural Pure Life, Aqua Nest, Premium Safa Pure water, Pew Pani Bottled Drinking Water, and Volga.
Brands that have high potassium levels comprise My Pure Water and Smart Pure Life as well as those that have TDS violations, were placed under the risk category, which prompted immediate regulatory warnings for the public’s security.
Many samples were found to be contaminated with harmful bacteria. These included A2Z Pure Drinking Water, New Mehran, Zalmi, Pure Life, Dir Drinking Water, and Dream Pure, all posing significant health risks to consumers.
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Other brands that are contaminated comprise Gulf, Crystal Aqua, Ruha Water, Iceberg, Lasani, and Volga, which indicate a wide range of quality issues.
Officials have stated that these unsafe bottles of water pose direct dangers to the health of the public because of the proven presence of harmful bacteria and chemical pollutants that are in violation of the national safety standards.
PCRWR has urged people to ensure certification before buying bottles of water. Choose only those that have been tested and certified by labs, particularly as the demand for water increases in major cities with issues with water quality.
