(a) whether the Government has constituted a Water Quality
Assessment Authority for ensuring the quality of water being used
and to fix norms for safe drinking water;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether there is any difference between the norms for bottled
water and public drinking water;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the plan to bridge the difference between the norms for public drinking water and bottled water?
THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES( SHRI HARISH RAWAT)
(a) &( b) Water Quality Assessment Authority (WQAA) has been
constituted under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 to bring
uniformity in the water quality monitoring and to direct the
concerned agencies for taking effective measures so as to
mitigate the contamination of the surface and ground water.
However, drinking water and fixation of its norms does not
come under the purview of the Water Quality Assessment Authority
.
(c) &(d) Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has formulated
following Indian Standards concerning Packaged Water:
IS 14543:2004 Packaged drinking water (other than natural
mineral water) (First Revision)
IS 13428:2005 Packaged natural mineral water (Second Revision)
Further, Bureau of Indian Standards has formulated following Indian
Standard concerning drinking water:
IS 10500:2012 Drinking water - Specification (Second Revision)
A comparative table of the organoleptic, physical, chemical and
microbiological requirements specified in the above Indian Standards
is enclosed as Annexure- I.
(e) The Bureau of Indian Standards has informed that, as on date there
is no proposal within the concerned Technical Committee, i.e. Drinks and
Drinking Water Sectional Committee, FAD 14 of BIS to align requirements
specified in the Indian Standards on Packaged Drinking Water, Packaged
Natural Mineral Water and Drinking Water.