Bottled drinking water will be included in the Essential Articles Control Act.
Thiruvananthapuram: The LDF government has decided to issue an ordinance fixing the price of bottled drinking water at Rs 13.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister P. Thilothaman took this decision after holding talks with the Kerala Bottled Water Manufacturers’ Association here on Thursday.
Bottled drinking water will be included in the Essential Articles Control Act.
Hence, the government has decided to bring it under essential goods Once it is imposed, the traders and manufacturers cannot demand inflated price for bottled water,” said Mr Thilothaman.
The drinking water manufacturing companies had decided to sell bottled water at Rs.
12 per litre from April 2.
But this was sabotaged by distributors and vendors saying that their profit margins would be hit.
The decision to reduce the price was taken by Kerala Bottled Water Manufacturers’ Association comprising 105 companies.
There are about 154 drinking water manufacturing companies in Kerala.

Videos on the site show founder Mukhande Singh (née Christopher Sanborn) hiking barefoot in the woods, cupping his hands, and drinking flowing spring water.
The source for Live Spring Water, however, is hardly off the beaten path – regardless of Singh’s promotional videos showing him hiking through the forest.
"The best tasting drinking water" in Oregon While it may sound preposterous to pay a minimum of $64 for a delivery of 10 gallons of tap water, the general manager of the Deschutes Valley Water District is quick to point out that his agency’s water isn’t just any tap water.
Opal Springs is so pure that the Deschutes Valley Water District doesn’t have to do any treatment of its water in order to comply with the Oregon Health Authority’s standards.
But contrary to the claim on Live Spring Water’s website, the water doesn’t go directly from the spring source into the company’s glass jugs and orbs.
From there, it’s pumped to residents’ homes and to the sites of two water-bottling companies, Earth2o and Opal Springs Bottling Company.
The latter bottles plastic water bottles and jugs under its own brand; it also bottles the spring water in glass jugs for Live Spring Water.
But Opal Springs Bottling Company operations manager Daryl Lonien wrote KOIN 6 News in an email that Live Spring Water is "not currently accepting any new customers."
16 Photos KOIN 6 News contacted California’s Department of Public Health and learned the agency issued an April 5 letter to Opal Springs Bottling Company, which was distributing Live Spring Water in California, explaining the requirements for bottled water in California.
Singh, using his legal name of Christopher Sanborn, first filed to register his business in California in June 2015 under the name Fountain of Truth Spring Water LLC; the status is listed as suspended.

FLINT, Mich. – Flint Mayor Karen Weaver has announced the donation of bottle water from Nestle Waters.
The donations will be distributed to the city’s three Community Help Centers.
That water will then be given to city residents.
Weaver thanked the company for its generous donation.
We have been in conversation with representatives at Nestle Waters and they have generously agreed to provide the three Help Centers in Flint with bottled water for the next several months.
I also want to thank everyone who had a hand in helping to make this a reality, Senator Jim Ananich and Jamie Gaskin and his team at the United Way of Genesee County.
Flint has been seeking alternative sources of bottled water since the state shut down its water distribution sites known as PODS in April.
Donations of bottled water have since come in from various donors.
Flint’s Community Help Centers are open on the following days from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Monday: Bethel United Methodist Church 1309 N. Ballenger Hwy, Flint, MI 40504 Tuesday: Asbury United Methodist Church 1653 Davison Rd.
Flint, MI 48506 Thursday: Greater Holy Temple Church of God in Christ 6702 N. Dort Hwy, Flint, MI 48505 Flint residents with questions, or in need of water, filters, or other supplies: Call 211 or (810) 410-1138.

FLINT (WJRT) (5/10/2018) – Nestle is sharing some of the company’s new capacity for bottling Michigan water with Flint residents.
Mayor Karen Weaver announced Thursday that the company will be supplying three truckloads of water per week to the city’s Help Centers "for the next several months."
“I want to thank Nestle for their willingness to help the people of Flint," she said in a statement.
Nestle recently received approval from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to pump 400 gallons of water per minute from an aquifer near its Stanwood bottling plant.
The previous permit allowed 250 gallons of water per minute.
Nestle’s donation to Flint totals about 4,200 cases, or 100,000 bottles of water, per week.
The company has agreed to deliver the water directly to the three Help Centers, where it will be distributed to Flint residents.
The Help Centers are open on the following days from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Mondays Bethel United Methodist Church, 1309 N. Ballenger Highway.
Tuesdays Asbury United Methodist Church, 1653 Davison Road.
Thursday Greater Holy Temple Church of God in Christ, 6702 N. Dort Highway.

NOW that the temperatures are soaring we should all be reaching for that bottle of water in the back of our cupboard to stay hydrated.
This length of time has been given to ensure optimum taste and quality of your water.
42 UK businesses sign up to WRAP’s ambitious UK Plastics Pact including Tesco, Pret, Lidl, Asda and Coca-Cola "After this date, the water is still safe to drink regardless of whether it is packaged in PET plastic, glass or aluminium, but to ensure optimum taste and quality it is recommended to be consumed within the 18 months to two years.
HERE’s what you need to know There is no evidence that microplastics can undermine human health but the WHO wants to assess the state of knowledge.
The UK’s Food Standards Agency said it was unlikely that the levels of microplastic reported in the bottles of water could cause harm but it added that "it would assess any emerging information concerning microplastics in food and drink".
According to scientists the ridges and tiny cracks in plastic bottles are a breeding ground for bacteria and can harbour dangerous germs, such as the norovirus.
It comes after new analysis, carried out by scientists based at the State University of New York in Fredonia, of some of the world’s most popular bottled water brands found more than 90 per cent contain tiny pieces of plastic – known as microplastics.
WATER STUDY Are there plastic particles in bottled water, which brands are affected and is it still safe to drink?
The UK’s Food Standards Agency said it was unlikely that the levels of microplastic reported in the bottles of water could cause harm but it added that "it would assess any emerging information concerning microplastics in food and drink".
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Clerks at four stores in Beavercreek were recently caught in an operation by local and state authorities checking whether someone younger than the age of 21 could buy alcohol.
The Ohio Investigative Unit used an undercover informant between ages 18 to 21 to conduct liquor enforcement compliance checks on April 6, according to a release from Beavercreek police.
Four out of 12 liquor establishments, gas stations and convenience stores that were targeted from 6 to 10 p.m. that day were found not in compliance with the law, according to the release.
Police said the confidential informant attempted to buy alcohol at the locations and clerks at four of the spots were cited for selling alcohol to someone under 21.
Beavercreek Chief Dennis Evers said in a prepared statement that his department has a “zero tolerance for underage alcohol violations.” “Enforcement efforts throughout the year are designed to protect our youth and our community,” Evers’ statement reads.
“We want to commend the businesses that were in compliance for reducing the opportunity for our youth to possess and consume alcohol.
We would recommend for those businesses not in compliance to take the necessary steps to train their employees on the law and the potential penalties if they don’t comply with the law.” BP, 4362 Indian Ripple Road Halls Corner Carryout, 3891 Kemp Road Open Pantry Market, 1592 Hanes Road Speedway, 3991 Indian Ripple Road

ISLAMABAD: At least eight brands of bottled water commonly available in markets across Pakistan have been declared unsafe for human consumption by the Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources (PCRWR).
The PCRWR has advised people to refrain from the brands that are: Edlen Premium, Aqua Fine, Pure Aqua, Livon, Zam, Aqua Gold, Pure 18, and Aab-e-Noor.
They are found to be unsafe due to both chemical and microbiological contamination.
The PCRWR quarterly reviews quality of bottled/mineral water brands and publicise results.
The authority collected 110 samples of mineral/bottled water brands from Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Multan, Lahore, Bahawalpur, Tandojam, Quetta and Karachi for examination.
Among the unsafe brands, the PCRWR said Aqua Fine had high levels of arsenic with 20 parts per billion (ppb) against 10 ppb permissible under the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority water quality standard.
It warned that the excessive level of arsenic could cause various types of skin diseases, diabetes, kidney diseases, hypertension, heart diseases, birth defects, black foot diseases and multiple types of cancers, etc.
The contamination in the eight brands, according to PCRWR may cause cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis, typhoid, etc.
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After several years and thousands of dollars spent toward combating high lead levels in school water fountains, the Boston Public Schools have been named one of the most proactive districts in Massachusetts for testing drinking water.
The Systems Taking Action to Reduce Lead award was given to BPS and the Boston Water and Sewer Commission by the Department of Environmental Protection at the State House Tuesday.
BPS and the mayor’s office implemented a policy to test water in every working drinking fountain at least twice a year in 2016, according to a statement from BPS.
The state only requires that districts test two schools per year.
“Not only are we better able to spot issues as they arise, but our enhanced monitoring and infrastructure are allowing more water fountains to be re-activated,” Superintendent Tommy Chang said in the statement.” Water fountains with clean, safe water increase access to students who need hydration in order to be successful during the school day and are better for the environment than bottled water.” Just 34 schools in the district have working water fountains, while 98 use bottled water coolers due to concern over lead levels, BPS said.
Any fountain that tests above 15 parts per billion of lead must be deactivated until the levels can be returned to a lower amount.
During the 2013-14 school year, the city spent $411,000 to supply bottled water and cups to public schools, the Globe reported in 2015.
The district began working to fix existing water fountains in the summer of 2015 as a part of a $300,000 project, but water from the newly installed fountains was found to have high lead content the following year, according to a Globe report.
“But we have determined that these systems – including the Boston Public School system – deserve special recognition and commendation for their excellent service to the public and the local school community.” Laney Ruckstuhl can be reached at laney.ruckstuhl@globe.com.
Follow her on Twitter @laneyruckstuhl.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) on Tuesday declared another eight brands of bottled water unsafe for human consumption.
The PCRWR quarterly reviews quality of bottled/mineral water brands and publicise results.
According to the monitoring report for the quarter from January to March, 110 samples of mineral/bottled water brands were collected from Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Multan, Lahore, Bahawalpur, Tandojam, Quetta and Karachi.
Comparison of analytical findings with permissible limits of Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) revealed that eight brands –Edlen Premium, Aqua Fine, Pure Aqua, Livon, Zam, Aqua Gold, Pure 18, and Aab-e-Noor –were found to be unsafe due to both chemical and microbiological contamination.
PCRWR warned that the excessive level of arsenic could cause various types of skin diseases, diabetes, kidney diseases, hypertension, heart diseases, birth defects, black foot diseases and multiple types of cancers, etc.
The four brands, Zam, Aqua Gold, Pure 18 and Aab-i-Noor, were found to be unsafe due to microbiological contamination which may cause cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis, typhoid, etc.
Similarly, Edlen Premium, Pure Aqua and Livon were found unsafe due to the presence of higher levels of sodium ranging from 57-60 parts per million (ppm) against 50 ppm permissible under the PSQCA water quality standard.
Last week at a conference on the importance of water conservation, Director Regional Bureau for Science in Asia and the Pacific, Dr Shabaz Khan also cautioned against excessive consumption of bottled water terming it unsafe for human consumption.
PCRWR said that the poor quality of potable water had forced a large section of citizens to buy bottled water, which resulted in mushroom growth of bottled water industry in the last few years.
Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2018

Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) on Tuesday announced that eight brands of drinking bottled water have found to be unsafe due to chemical and microbiological contaminations.
These eight brands were Edlen Premium, Aqua Fine, Pure Aqua, Livon, Zam, Aqua Gold, Pure 18, and Aab-e-Noor.
PCRWR had been tasked by Ministry of Science and Technology to monitor and improve quality of bottled water through quarterly monitoring of bottled/mineral water brands and publicize the results.
According to monitoring report for quarter from January to March, 2018, 110 samples of Mineral/Bottled water brands have been collected from Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Multan, Lahore, Bahawalpur, Tandojam, Quetta and Karachi.
The comparison of analytical findings with permissible limits of Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) has revealed that 08 brands (i.e. Edlen Premium, Aqua Fine, Pure Aqua, Livon, Zam, Aqua Gold, Pure 18, and Aab-e-Noor) were found to be unsafe due to chemical and microbiological contaminations.
Out of those unsafe brands, one brand (i.e. Aqua Fine) has comparatively high levels of Arsenic i.e 20 ppb than PSQCA water quality standard for arsenic (10 ppb).
The excessive level of arsenic can cause various types of skin diseases, diabetes, kidney diseases, hypertension, heart diseases, birth defects, black foot diseases and multiple types of cancers etc.
Four brands (i.e. Zam, Aqua Gold, Pure 18, and Aab-e-Noor) were found to be unsafe due to microbiological contamination which may cause Cholera, Diarrhea, Dysentery, Hepatitis, Typhoid etc.
Whereas three brands (i.e. Edlen Premium, Pure Aqua and Livon) were found unsafe due to presence of higher levels of Sodium ranging from 57-60 ppm than PSQCA water quality standard for sodium (50 ppm).
It is mentioned here that poor quality of drinking water has forced a large cross-section of citizens to buy bottled water.—APP