Health fears: Bottled water menace grips Tirupati and Chittoor districts
The ‘mineral’ water mafia is tightening its grip over the drinking water market in Tirupati and Chittoor districts, exploiting the growing demand for safe drinking water.
Tirupati:The ‘mineral’ water mafia is tightening its grip over the drinking water market in Tirupati and Chittoor districts, exploiting the growing demand for safe drinking water. While the citizens' health is compromised in harmful ways, corrupt officials in the regulatory mechanism are leaving the mafia untouched.
With summer approaching and temperatures rising, residents are increasingly relying on bubble-top water cans, a necessity that has now become a business opportunity for unregulated suppliers.
Despite the presence of licensed water plants, many unauthorised units operate without the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification. These plants distribute water without quality checks. Some of these agencies reuse old cans without adequate sterilization, compromising safety standards.
The cost of a 20-litre water can has increased, with urban consumers paying between `15 and `20, while in rural areas, prices range from `10 to `15. The absence of a reliable drinking water supply system is forcing people to rely on these unregulated sources.
Industry estimates suggest that the bottled water business in the combined district generates approximately `4.80 crore a month, with a significant portion of this revenue coming from suppliers who bypass regulatory norms.
Tirupati city, in particular, has witnessed a sharp rise in the number of small-scale water suppliers. A decade ago, only about 100 licences were issued in the city, but the number now exceeded 800. Many grocery stores and water-filling outlets continue to sell 20-litre cans with poor water quality. Some of these use fake BIS logos.
Investigations show several operators source water from unauthorised locations, including groundwater or Telugu Ganga supplies and process this in substandard ways.
A major concern is the lack of an active regulatory body to oversee water quality in the city. Most packaged water brands fail to meet BIS standards, with total dissolved solids (TDS) levels far below the permissible limit of 500 ppm.
“Many shops stock 20-litre cans without confirming BIS certification. Water with less than 100 ppm can dissolve plastic, posing cancer risks, while reverse osmosis strips essential minerals. Boiled water is safer, as it eliminates microbial contaminants without removing vital minerals,” a health official said.
Despite repeated complaints from consumers, regulatory enforcement has been weak and manned by corrupt officials.
The health official claimed there was difficulty in conducting inspections due to shortage of staff, a usual excuse for inaction. By paying bribes, the large numbers of unregistered plants are operating discreetly.
Adding to these concerns, a past study by the Department of Geology at Sri Venkateswara University, published in the World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, revealed alarming levels of contamination in bottled drinking water available in Tirupati. The research found that five out of nine bottled-water units tested failed to meet safety norms. Officials are looking the other way, risking people’s health.
Samples collected from retail markets showed the presence of faecal coliform bacteria, with bacterial colones ranging from one to 2,640 per sample. Traces of E. coli were also detected in several cases.
The study also highlighted that nearly 78 bottled-water units in Tirupati, excluding major brands, operated in unhygienic locations, often relying on deep bore wells or public water sources without proper purification methods.
