Bubble top water cans now at ‘high risk’

Trichy: With packaged water no more requiring mandatory licence from Bureau of Indian Standards, but only from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the 20-litre cans delivered at your home has come under ‘high-risk category. Many are delivered without ISI marks, brand labels, or even basic details such as manufacturing and expiry dates. What is worse, these cans are reused to an extent that the water inside is barely visible. Food safety department officials in Trichy say they are ramping up efforts to regulate these cans, which fall under ‘high-risk' category and are subject to mandatory inspections. However, consumers still receive cans with damaged necks, dented bodies, and without the legally required information on packaged goods. "They do not carry an expiry date, and most lack ISI logo. The can's material can degrade over time and affect the water inside, posing serious health risks. Often, it is unclear whether the water is truly mineral or sourced from unknown places and capped," said Dr M A Aleem, retired professor of neurology at KAPV medical college. Experts say the situation was different a decade ago when fewer companies operated and quality standards were more consistently followed. "With so many new players entering the market, the focus has shifted from quality to quantity. In the race to offer cheaper options, many are cutting corners, resulting in poorly maintained, unlabelled, and potentially unsafe water cans flooding the market," said advocate T Jayanti Rani who handles many consumer disputes cases too.Packaged Drinking Water Association said it is unfair to place the burden solely on manufacturers. "After manufacturing, we hand over the cans to local distributors. There have been instances where individuals collect water in old, used 20-litre bubble-top cans and sell it at a higher price. The water is not tested, unlike what is done before leaving the manufacturing unit. There have also been cases where fake logos are used," said an association member, who owns a water company.Food safety officials maintain that bubble-top cans are safe and that they are closely monitoring the situation. "A mobile lab will be used to test water on the spot periodically. If the water fails quality checks or if a business operates without a license, a fine of ₹10 lakh will be imposed," designated officer Jagadish Chandra Bose told TOI. He said consumers must lodge complaints when necessary. "Water cans should have at least 85% transparency, indicating they haven't been overused. Consumers should also look for the ISI mark and avoid cans that are visibly damaged," he said.