Packaged water an urban bubble ready to burst

Even as more people in city rely on packaged water now, improper packaging practices and missing labels expose them to many waterborne diseases

- Ankit Pandey

The 20-litre water jugs that you buy for drinking and cooking might not be as hygienic as you would like to believe. While many firms sell these jugs claiming that the water has been filtered via reverse osmosis (RO) process, not all claims are genuine. If treated or packaged improperly, this water can expose people to various waterborne diseases. Often, these jugs that are delivered at doorsteps daily lack labels.

The guidelines from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) are clear: water jugs must be seal-packaged and labelled with essential details such as the product name, processor's address, batch number, treatment methods, "best before" date and storage instructions. However, many dispensers in Ahmedabad are not meeting these standards.