PS:4639-2018

ICS No.13.060.20

PAKISTAN STANDARD
FOR
BOTTLED DRINKING WATER
(4TH REVISION)

PAK ISTAN STANDARDS AND QUALITY CONTROL AUTHORITY,

STANDARDS DEVELO PMENT CENTRE,
PSQCA Comp lex, Standardi zation Wing -II, 1 s t Floor, Plot No. ST.7/A,
Block-3, Scheme-36, Gu listan- e-Johar, K arachi- Pakistan
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PAKISTAN STADNARDS AND QUALITY CONTROL AUTHORITY

STANDARDS DEVELOMPENT CENTRE
(Agriculture & Food Division)
MEMBERSHIP LIST OF WATER QUALITY TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

CHAIRMAN:

1. Professor Dr. M. Ehsan Siddiqui, University of Sindh,

Water Technologist, Jamshoro (Sindh).

MEMBERS:

2. The Secretary, Food Department,

Govt. of Punjab,
Lahore.

3. The Secretary, Food Department,

Govt. of Balochistan,
Quetta.

4. The Secretary, Food Department,

Govt. of Sindh,
Karachi.

5. Dr. Farhan Aslam, Punjab Food Authority,

Deputy Director (Operations) Lahore.

6. Mr. Asmatullah Khan, Food Directorate, KPK,

Deputy Director (Food), Peshawar.

7. Dr. Mubarik Ali, Earth & Environment

Head of Department,
Bahria University, Karachi.

8. Govt. Public Analyst, Food Laboratory,

24 - Cooper Road, Lahore.

9. Govt. Public Analyst, Food Laboratory,

Quetta.
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10. Govt. Public Analyst, Food Laboratory

Directorate General Health Services
Sindh old building, Wahdat Colony
Hyderabad.

11. Govt. Public Analyst, Food Laboratory

Hayatabad,
Peshawar.

12. Dr. Faqir Muhammad Anjum, National Institute of Food Science &
Ex-Director General, Technology
University of Agriculture,
FAISALABAD.

13. Dr. Masood Siddiq Butt, National Institute of Food Sciences &
Director General, Technology University of Agriculture,
Faisalabad.

14. Mr. Shahzad Sikandar Nestle Pakistan Ltd.,

Regulatory/ScientificAffairs Manager, Lahore.

15. Mr. Sohail Anwer, Qarshi Industries,

General Manager Regulatory Affairs, Hattar (KPK).

16. Mr. Ameer Taimur Zaid, Pepsi Cola International Pvt. Ltd.,
Operations Manager, Karachi.

17. Engr. Shahid Alam, Tata Best Foods Ltd.,

Hx-1 Landhi Industrial Area,
Karachi.

18. Mr. Muneer Hussain, National Foods Ltd.,

Manager Quality Research & Development, Karachi.

19. Mr. Fairs Hidzar, Malaysia Palm Oil Board,

Manager, Karachi.

20. Syed Kashif Ali, Pakistan Beverage Limited,

Quality Assurance Manager, Aquafina Plant, Karachi.
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21. Mr. Masood Mustafa, Aquafina Plant Pakistan Beverage Ltd.,

General Manager, 5 km – Toll Plaza – Karachi – Hyderabad Super
highway, Karachi.

22. Mr. Babar Iqbal Siddique, HINUCON (Nutracutrical Company)

Plant Manager, HINUCON, Plot # 12/1 Sector-15,
Korangi Industrial Area,
Karachi.

SECRETARIATE:

1. Mr. Naseem-us-Sami, Standards Development Centre,

Deputy Director (Agri. & Food) & PSQCA,
Secretary to the Committee, KARACHI

2. Engr. Lal Muhammad Rajar, Standards Development Centre,

Examiner (Agri & Food) PSQCA, KARACHI

______________________
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PAKISTAN STANDARD SPECIFICATION

FOR
BOTTLED DRINKING WATER (4TH REVISION)

0. FOREWORD

0.1 This Pakistan Standard was adopted by the Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority,
Standards Development Centre, on 24-01-2018 , after the draft finalized by the Water Quality
Technical Committee had been approved by the National Standards Committee for Agriculture
& Food Products.
0.2 This Pakistan Standard specification was established in 2001, first revised in 2002, second
revised in 2003 and third Revision in 2004. Now keeping in view the latest developments made
in the industries, the committee felt it necessary to revise.
0.3 DESCRIPTION

0.3.1 Packaged waters

“Packaged waters”, other than natural mineral waters, are waters for human consumption and
may contain minerals, naturally occurring or intentionally added; may contain carbon dioxide,
naturally occurring or intentionally added; but shall not contain sugars, sweeteners, flavourings
or other foodstuffs.

0.3.1.1 Waters defined by origin

“Waters defined by origin”, whether they come from the underground or from the surface,
defined under the present standard share the following characteristics:

a) they originate from specific environmental resources without passing through a community
water system;

b) precautions have been taken within the vulnerability perimeters to avoid any pollution of, or
external influence on, the chemical, microbiological and physical qualities of water at
origin;

c) collecting conditions which guarantee the original microbiological purity and essential
elements of their chemical make-up at origin;

d) from the microbiological standpoint, are constantly fit for human consumption at their
source and are kept in that state with particular hygienic precautions until and while
packaging in accordance with provisions of sections 3 and 4 of CAC 227-2001;

e) are not subject to any modification or treatment other than those permitted under clause
3.1.1.
0.3.1.2 Prepared waters
“Prepared waters” are waters that do not comply with all the provisions set for waters defined
byorigin under clause 3.1.1. They may originate from any type of water supply.
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0.4 For the purpose of deciding whether a particular requirement of this specification is complied
with the final value, observed or calculated, expressing the result of a test or analysis, shall be
rounded off in accordance with PS:103 (R) Method of Rounding Off Numerical Values. The
number of significant places retained in the rounded off value, should be the same as that of the
specified value in this specification.

0.5 All the ingredients and processes shall be in accordance with PS:3733 for Halaal Food
Management System Requirements for any organization in the Food Chain.

1. SCOPE:

1.1 This specification prescribes the requirements, Methods of Sampling and Test for
Bottled Drinking Water.

2. DEFINITION:

2.1 For the purpose of this specification the following definition shall apply:

2.1.1 Bottled Drinking Water: Bottled Drinking W ater is water other than Natural Mineral
Water which is filled into hermetically sealed containers/bottles of various compositions,
forms, and capacities that is safe and suitable for direct human consumption. Bottled drinking
water is included in the category of food.

2.2 Supplementary Definitions:

2.2.1 Underground water: Water such as spring water, stream water, well water originating from
subsurface aquifers.

2.2.2 Protected underground water is water coming from a unique environmental resource, not
directly influenced by surface water (water such as streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and reservoirs)
or the surface environment.

3. REQUIREMENTS:

3.1 General
3.1.1 SUITABILITY: The assessment of the suitability of water for human consumption shall
be based on consideration of its physical, chemical and microbiological requirements and
limits for toxic substances.

Permitted physicochemical modifications and antimicrobial treatments for the waters defined
by origin Waters defined by origin must not, prior to packaging, be modified or subjected to
treatments other than those described in subsections below with the proviso that these
modifications or treatments and the processes1 used to achieve them do not change the essential
physicochemical characteristics nor compromise the chemical, radiological and
microbiological safety of these waters when packaged:
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3.1.1.1 Selective treatments that modify the original composition:

• reduction and/or elimination of dissolved gases (and resulting possible change in pH);

• addition of carbon dioxide (and resulting change in pH) or re-incorporation of the

original carbon dioxide present at emergence;

• reduction and/or elimination of unstable constituents such as iron, manganese, sulphur

(as S0 or S--) compounds and carbonates in excess, under normal conditions of
temperature and pressure, of the calco-carbonate equilibrium;

• addition of air, oxygen or ozone on condition that the concentration of by-products

resulting from the ozone treatment is below the tolerance established under section 3.2.1 2;

• decrease and/or increase in temperature; • reduction and/or separation of elements

originally present in excess of maximum concentrations or of maximum levels of
radioactivity.

3.1.2. Health-related limits for chemical and radiological substances No packaged water shall contain
substances or emit radioactivity in quantities that may be injurious to health. To this effect, all
packaged water shall comply with the health-related requirements of the most recent
“Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality” published by the World Health Organization

3.2 REQUIREMENTS:

The bottled drinking water shall be free from all chemicals and bacteriological
contaminations which are hazardous to health.

3.2.1 The product shall conform to the permissible levels given under the following Tables:

1. Table –I Physical characteristic for bottled drinking water.

2. Table –II Chemical characteristic for bottled drinking water.
3. Table –III Chemical characteristics for bottled drinking water (Optional)
4. Table –IV Microbiological Limits.
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TABLE –I
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTIC FOR BOTTLED DRINKING WATER.

Maximum
S. # Characteristics Permissible Technique of the Method
Level
Colormetry – tristimulus
Colour,(Hazen Unit/NTU/Equivalent)
1. 5 filter method (Reference
Method)

2. Odour Unobjectionable Sensory evaluation

3. Taste Unobjectionable Sensory evaluation

Visual Method - candle

4. Turbidity (NTU) 0.5 turbidmeter (Reference
Method)

TABLE-II
CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR BOTTLED DRINKING WATER

Maximum Admissible
S. # Elements or Compounds
Concentration (ppm)
1. pH range 6.5 – 8.5
2. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) 500
3. Nitrite (NO2 ) as Nitrogen 1.0
4. Chloride 250
5. Sulphate ( SO 4 ) 250
6. Potassium ( K ) 10
7. Sodium ( Na ) 50
8. Magnesium ( Mg ) 100
9. Calcium ( Ca ) 100
10. Chlorine (Cl ) 0.1
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TABLE – III

FOR CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR BOTTLED DRINKING WATER

Maximum admissible
S. # ELEMENTS
concentration (ppm)

1. Arsenic (As) 0.01

2. Fluoride (F) 0.7

3.3 MICROBIOLOGICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The product shall conform to the limits given in Table-IV.

TABLE – IV:
MICROBIOLOGICAL LIMITS

Recommended
S. # Organisms
Value
i. Total coliform 0/250 ml
ii E-Coli 0/250 ml

iii Feceal enterococci/ streptococci 0/250 ml

iv. Pseudomonas aeruginosa 0/250 ml
v. Total viable count at 20 – 22 0C < 100 / 1ml
(Optional)
vi. Total viable count at 37 0C < 20 / 1ml
(Optional)

.
Note: The relevant Testing of PS, ISO, CAC and of other internationally recognized Standard,
methods may be taken into account for analysis purpose.

4. HYGIENE

4.1 Drinking Water for the purpose of bottling shall be prepared in accordance with PS: 3944 for
Code of Practice – General Principles of food Hygiene.
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5. PACKAGING

5.1 The containers/bottles shall be hygienic, suitable and completely clean and shall not cause
any undesirable change in taste, odour or colour or quality of the water. It can be inspected
at random just prior to being filled and sealed.

5.2 The water packaging material must be of food grade & it shall conform to PS: 4069 for Plastic Portable
Water Bottles or any other internationally accepted Standard.

5.3 It shall be packed in hermetically sealed containers of food grade material to prevent
contamination of bottled water.

5.4 Filling and sealing operations of containers/bottles shall be done in an aseptic atmosphere so as
to prevent any contamination.

5.5 Transportation. Bottled water shall be transported by any suitable means of transport to
protect it from contamination.

6. MARKING

6.1 In addition to the PS: 1485(R) for Pakistan Standard for the Labelling of Pre-Packaged Foods,
the following provisions shall apply:

a) Brand name or trade name if any,

b) Net volumes in System International/Metric System,
c) Name and address of the manufacturer,
d) Batch number or code number
e) Date of bottling & expiry,
f) Chemical composition for e.g. Sulphate, Sodium, Magnesium, Potassium, Chloride,
g) Pakistan Standard Number, PS Mark & Licence Number.
h) Location and name of the source.

7. METHOD OF TEST

7.1 The relevant Testing Method of ISO, ASTM, CAC, PS, and of other Internationally Recognized
Standard Methods may be taken in to account for Analysis Purpose.

8. SAMPLING

8.1 LOT: In any consignment all the bottles of the same size and belonging to one batch of
manufacture or supply shall constitute a lot.

8.2 General Requirements of Sampling

8.2.1 Each bottle of the sample shall be marked with necessary details of sampling and the bottles for
bacteriological testing shall be marked separately.

8.2.2 The bottles of the sample shall be stored in such a manner that there shall be no deterioration of
quality of water.
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8.2.3 The bottles for Microbiological testing shall be brought to the testing laboratory within one hour,
of sampling. If this is not possible the bottles shall be stored at 10 0C or below and transported
to the testing laboratory within 24 hours. In case of small units, the original packing shall be
treated as sample.

8.3 SCALE OF SAMPLE:

8.3.1 Samples shall be tested from each lot for ascertaining its conformity to the requirements of
this specification.

8.3.2 The number of bottles to be selected from a lot shall be in accordance with the Table – V.

TABLE – V - SCALE OF SAMPLING

Number of bottles to
Number of Bottles in the Lot
be selected
Up To 1000 15
1001 to 3000 17
3001 to 10,000 18
10001 and above 24

8.3.3 If the bottles are packed in cases, 10 percent of the cases subject to a minimum of five cases
shall be selected from the lot and as far as possible an equal number of bottles shall be selected
from each case so selected to form a sample.

8.4 NUMBER OF TESTS:

8.4.1 Each bottle selected shall be inspected for packaging and marking requirements.

8.4.2 Five bott les shall be selected from the bottles, and t ested individually for the
microbiological limits.

8.4.3 A sufficient quantity of water shall be drawn from each of the remaining bottles and mixed to
form a composite sample and the composite sample thus obtained shall be tested for the
requirements.

9. CRITERIA FOR CONFORMITY:

9.1 A lot shall be declared as conforming to the requirements of this specification.

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