However, how many of them are followed and implemented by manufacturers?
A recent study by Dr Aviram Sharma at the Nalanda University, Rajgir, Bihar, has analysed the regulatory governance of the standards set by BIS on bottled water quality in India.
Bottled water is under the mandatory certification since 2001, meaning it is illegal for any firm to manufacture it without the BIS licence.
The study, published in Current Science, concludes that the enforcement and implementation of mandatory quality standards for bottled water in India are ‘weak’.
“During 2008, when I started working on quality issues of drinking water, very few scientific studies were available in India.
Besides, lack of uniform drinking water quality standards in India intrigued me.
“However, the many recommendations of the committee are not implemented effectively even after 15 years, and systemic issues still prevail in the drinking water quality regulation”, he rues.
For example, the responsibility of BIS is limited to ensuring compliance of licensed manufacturers while the Public Health Engineering Department deals with illegal manufacturers.
Without enough infrastructure, how can one expect the effective implementation of standards”, asks Dr Sharma.
For ensuring compliance with BIS standards, a platoon of laboratories is required who can reliably test the water quality.