Packaged drinking water means water derived from any source of potable water which may be subjected to treatments such as, decantation, filtration, combination of filtrations, aeration, filtration with membrane filter, depth filter, cartridge filter, activated carbon filtration, demineralization, remineralization, reverse osmosis or any other method to meet the prescribed standard and packed. It may be disinfected to a level that will not lead to harmful contamination in the drinking water.
Water used for manufacturing Packaged Drinking Water:
The potable water used for production of packaged drinking water is water derived from any source (such as ground water like Borewell, public drinking water systems such as Municipality Supply or Supplies from other sources) received on regular basis. Supplies of such water through pipelines or tankers would be acceptable provided the source remains the same.
Water treatment types for manufacturing Packaged Drinking Water:
Processed water may be disinfected by means of chemical agents and/or physical methods to control the micro-organisms to a level that does not compromise food safety or suitability for consumption. Various means adopted for disinfection include ozonization, ultraviolet treatment, silver ionization, etc. and/or combination thereof. The processed water shall be filled in sealed containers of various types/sizes/shapes made from the plastic materials permitted under ISS, suitable for direct consumption without further treatment. The filling & packing of the processed water shall be in containers which are tamperproof, tight and impervious. The containers with features like Cool Jugs, Jugs with built-in taps, Jars with threaded (reusable) caps etc. which are not tamperproof and leak proof shall not be permitted.
Adding minerals for Packaged Drinking Water (Mineral Water):
As indicated above, the packaged drinking water can be produced by way remineralization. This process involves addition of ingredients. In case remineralization is carried out by any manufacturer, ingredients used for the purpose shall be of food grade quality conforming to the requirements of the PFA Act, 1954 and the Rules framed there-under BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS (BIS).
There are many terminologies presently adopted by the industry & consumer for describing the processed water as packed in different packaging. For the purpose of uniformity in describing the various types of containers, the following definitions are
suggested by BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS (BIS):
| TYPE OF CONTAINER | DESCRIPTION | PRICE RANGE (Excluding Delivery Charges) |
|---|---|---|
|
Jars, Bubble Top Jars 20 Litre Water Cans |
Reusable plastic containers (20 Litre Water Can) | INR 30 to INR 70 |
| Bottles | One time use plastic containers, to be crushed after use | INR 6 to INR 20 |
| Water Cups | One time use plastic container in the shape of cup or glass/tumbler, to be crushed after use. |
INR 4 to INR 8 |
| Water Pouche | Water pouche available in 250ml to 500ml. | INR 2 to INR 10 |
| Glass Bottle | Containers made of glass material (to be used after sterilization) | Not Available |