Is the water we are drinking contaminated?
Uh Oh… What is going on?
We have found out that the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has recalled the Guang Li Liang bottled drinking water which is produced in Malaysia as it has been found to contain a common environmental bacteria!
According to AVA, pseudomonas aeruginosa, the common environmental bacteria which was found in Guang Li Liang’s bottled drinking water is usually found in faeces.
soil, water and sewage.
Yikes, definitely sound pretty dangerous and disgusting too!
Even organic materials which are in contact with water make a good spot for this bacteria to grow.
Check the batch number and expiry date on the bottle The product was imported from Malaysia by BSY Power of Light Trading.
AVA has directed BSY to recall the implicated product.
If you had consumed products contaminated with this bacteria, there are chances it could lead to infections!

islamabad – The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources on Monday declared five bottled water brands unfit for human consumption.
According to officials, from April to June, as many as 85 samples of mineral and bottled water brands were collected from different parts of the country.
Samples were taken from the areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Lahore, Bahawalpur, Tandojam, Quetta and Karachi.
After running different tests and comparison of analytical findings with permissible limits of Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority, five brands were found unsafe for drinking.
After careful analysis, the council found Gourmet, Aqua Super Life, Shiraz, Aqua Splash and Marina brands unsafe for consumption due to microbiological contamination.
Studies further disclosed that the contamination in the five above brands may cause cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis, typhoid and other infectious diseases.
Due to the unavailability of pure drinking water, a large population is left with no choice but to buy bottled water, especially during traveling.
As a consequence of this expanding market, a mushroom growth of bottled water industry in the country was witnessed during the last few years.
The PCRWR warned that many mineral/bottled water companies had been found selling contaminated water.
In order to have a check on bottled water, the government through the Ministry of Science and Technology has designated the task to the council for quarterly monitoring of bottled/mineral water brands and publicize the results.

Researchers at the State University of New York at Fredonia tested 259 individual bottles from 27 different lots across 11 major brands in nine countries.
They found 93 percent of the water showed “some sign” of contamination.
Scientists found 10.4 percent of plastic particles per one liter of water, which is twice as much as a previous study on tap water found.
Leading international brands in the study included Aquafina, Dasani, Evian, Nestle Pure Life, and San Pellegrino.
Polypropylene, nylon and polyethylene terephthalate were among the contaminants found in the water.
Data suggests contamination is at least partially coming from the packaging and the bottling process itself, according to researchers.
At this time, researchers are not clear if consuming the particles will have any health effects.
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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.
Comments May 2018
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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

Scientists have found that leading bottled water brands are contaminated with plastic particles.
This is coming on the heels of a research, which revealed that plastic contaminants were identified in 93 per cent of samples, which included major bottled water brands such as Aqua, Nestle Pure Life, Aquafina, Dasani, Evian, San Pellegrino, Bisleri, Dasani, Epura and Evian.
The researchers from the State University of New York at Fredonia in the United States (US), found the sampled bottled waters contaminated with tiny plastic particles that were likely seeping into the products during packaging process.
According to the report, the contaminants are plastic debris, including polypropylene, nylon, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
The researchers tested more than 250 bottles from 11 brands purchased in 19 locations in nine countries.
The bottled waters analysed were from Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Thailand and the U.S.
Widespread contamination with plastic was found in the study, led by microplastic researcher, Sherri Mason of the State University of New York, according to a summary released by Orb Media, a U.S-based non-profit media organisation.
The report showed that particle concentration ranged from “zero to more than 10,000 likely plastic particles in a single bottle.
“On average, plastic particles in the 100 micron (0.10 millimeter) size range — considered ‘microplastics’ — were found at an average rate of 10.4 plastic particles per litre.” However, experts cautioned that the extent of the risk to human health posed by such contamination remains unclear.
Previous research by Orb Media has found plastic particles in tap water, too, but on a smaller scale.

They tested popular brands like Evian, Dasani and Nestle Pure Life.
Scientists found an average of more than 10 plastic particles per one-liter of bottled water.
Researchers tested more than 250 bottles from 11 brands purchased in 19 locations in nine countries reveal contamination with plastic including polypropylene, nylon, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
Here are the brands included in the study: Aqua (Danone) Aquafina (PepsiCo) Bisleri (Bisleri International) Dasani (Coca-Cola) Epura (PepsiCo) Evian (Danone) Gerolsteiner (Gerolsteiner Brunnen) Minalba (Grupo Edson Queiroz) Nestlé Pure Life (Nestlé) San Pellegrino (Nestlé) Wahaha (Hangzhou Wahaha Group) According to Orb Media, two leading brands confirmed their products contained the microplastic, but say the study significantly overstates the amount.
Researchers say the size of the plastic ranged from the width of a human hair down to the size of a red blood cell.
Some bottles had thousands.
A few effectively had no plastic at all.
One brand had a concentration of more than 10,000 particles per liter.
Take a look at the number of plastic particles in each brand’s bottles by clicking on the image below.
Right now, scientists don’t know the impact the plastic has on the human body.

The study indicated that the contamination was partly the result of plastic packaging, and partly the fault of the bottling process.
“Bottled water brands are packaged in plastic PET bottles.
This new report adds dimensions which need to be clarified.
If they do not do this, there is psychological damage that can be deep and counter-productive to brand intent,” he added.
The study was carried out on more than 250 water bottles sourced from 11 brands in nine countries, including India.
Brands tested included Aqua (Danone), Aquafina (PepsiCo), Bisleri (Bisleri International), Dasani (Coca-Cola), Epura (PepsiCo), Evian (Danone), Gerolsteiner (Gerolsteiner Brunnen), Minalba (Grupo Edson Queiroz), Nestlé Pure Life (Nestlé), San Pellegrino (Nestlé), and Wahaha (Hangzhou Wahaha Group).
When approached, most brands vouched for the safety process that their water goes through but did not touch upon the bottle themselves being an issue.
We stand by the safety of our products, and welcome continued study of plastics in our environment.
We are interested in being part of any serious scientific research into micro-plastics.
All Bisleri production facilities have their own quality testing labs that ensure that every Bisleri product is made as per guidelines set by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and WHO (World Health Organization) We are currently investigating this issue.

The world’s leading brands of bottled water are contaminated with tiny plastic particles that are likely seeping in during the packaging process, according to a major study across nine countries published Wednesday.
“Widespread contamination” with plastic was found in the study, led by microplastic researcher Sherri Mason of the State University of New York at Fredonia, according to a summary released by Orb Media, a United States-based non-profit media collective.
“In this study, 65 percent of the particles we found were actually fragments and not fibers,” Mason told AFP.
“I think it is coming through the process of bottling the water.
I think that most of the plastic that we are seeing is coming from the bottle itself, it is coming from the cap, it is coming from the industrial process of bottling the water.” Particle concentration ranged from “zero to more than 10,000 likely plastic particles in a single bottle,” said the report.
Experts cautioned that the extent of the risk to human health posed by such contamination remains unclear.
“We know that they are connected to these synthetic chemicals in the environment and we know that plastics are providing kind of a means to get those chemicals into our bodies.” Time to ditch plastic?
Previous research by Orb Media has found plastic particles in tap water, too, but on a smaller scale.
The three-month study used a technique developed by the University of East Anglia’s School of Chemistry to “see” microplastic particles by staining them using fluorescent Nile Red dye, which makes plastic fluorescent when irradiated with blue light.
“It’s more urgent now than ever before to make plastic water bottles a thing of the past.” AB