On Tuesday, April 8, Karnataka Health and Family Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao announced that two-thirds of the bottled water samples collected for analysis across the state are either unsafe or of poor quality. Of the 255 samples analysed so far, only 72 were safe, 95 were unsafe, and 88 were of substandard quality. Rao said that further samples will be taken for testing, and state authorities will initiate legal actions against companies supplying unsafe water. Meanwhile, the Karnataka survey raises serious questions about the safety of bottled water in other parts of India. In 2024, a study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggested that bottled water may contain high levels of microplastics, with an average of 240,000 plastic fragments detected per litre. Although the long-term consequences of ingesting microplastics are still unknown, experts suggest they could be harmful by transporting toxic chemicals or building up in the body over time, leading to inflammation or other serious health conditions.
Counterfeit bottled water is also a huge problem. In October 2024, Baghpat District Magistrate Jitendra Pratap Singh found that the bottled water he was served lacked the requisite food licence number. A following investigation by the Food Safety Department revealed over 2000 fake bottles of the popular brand Bisleri. However, the incident showed only the tip of the iceberg of counterfeit products on the Indian market. Commenting on the Karnataka survey results, Minister Rao pointed out that the most problematic samples were from local manufacturers, not national-level brands. Another issue is bland regulation. In December 2024, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) placed ‘packaged drinking water and mineral water’ under the high-risk food category after mandatory BIS certification was removed two months earlier. The removal of dual certification was due to industry pressures, aiming to quicken procedures. High-risk foods are those more prone to contamination by harmful micro-organisms or toxic chemicals. They require stricter inspections and regulations. Furthermore, authorities should also push for improved consumer awareness and better enforcement of safety standards.
