Bottled Water - What Brands are Healthy?

LonMon

HI Everyone,

I have a specific question.

There is a post below titled : 'Buy water, drink bacteria' about bacteria problems with many brands of bottled water in India.
Also, it is my understanding that most bottled brands of water in India are unhealthily high in PESTICIDE levels.

The only brand I am aware of at this time, which is not high in pesticide levels is EVIAN, which is as expensive in India as in the USA. Here's an article from four years ago which may be outdated today http://www.rediff.com/money/2003/feb/05water.htm

Does ANYONE know of ANY other BRANDS of bottled water in India which are sound to drink, both in low numbers of pesticides and safe bacteria levels? I'm only looking for answers based on legitimate knowledge and not hearsay or opinion.. And while I agree that water-filtration is an appropriate solution, that is for a different thread, this one is about bottled water brands. PLEASE, NO HEARSAY, or, 'I drank it for a week and feel ok so therefore it must be ok' answers..

Thanks!

Nick-H

Is there any way this question is answerable, unless the poster happens to run a testing lab?

Thing is, we can quote the big company names like Bisleri, and someone can produce a news article or something from somewhere, sometime, that quotes a bad sample or casts doubt on a particular manufacturer.

The article you quote may be four years old, but I suspect that not much has changed. There was a clampdown recently on the Rs1 plastic packs of water (OK, this is a product unlikely to be bought by tourists...), many of which, from different makes were found to be contaminated with sewage.

So we have a situation where about the best that can be achieved is to be satisfied with the best of the bad!

Even published test results may mislead, as the product is likely to differ from plant to plant, city to city.

Afterthought... If any single product was known to be 100% good, it would simply corner the market, at least among those able to pay what would probably be a premium price.

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dzibead

For what it's worth, I never once saw a bottle of Evian for sale in India. It's probably available at places like The Imperial in Delhi or The Oberoi Grand in Kolkata, but in a corner shop? Forget it. So if that's your "gold standard," good luck.

And as Nick said, expecting anyone here to be able give you feedback other than "I drank it for a week and survived" (which you have rejected as inadequate) is pretty unrealistic. Your own research (on-line or otherwise) is more likely to turn up relevant information than an inquiry here.

nayan

evian is available in food bazaar outlets in hyderabad.
May be its available in other grocery chains in other metros also.....
But it will most certainly not be available in non metro places.

shashank.aggarwal

but Evian is too expensive for OP, why you all are recommending than...

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Nick-H

I have not seen Evian in Chennai. An Indian friend of mine bought here new-born baby to her family house here a few years ago and discovered a source of Perrier (Chennai's Marks & Spencers, maybe...) for the child. Cost her a fortune.

So how much does this illusive Evian cost? And is it really imported mineral water, or are they just using the trade mark?

shashank.aggarwal

last time it heard it was Rs.45 for a bottle that was less than a liter...

I am not sure now !!

nayan

I had checked long ago.... as far as I remember it was Rs75 for a 1 L bottle (or may be it was 1.5/2 Lts dont remember exactly)

Ya.... its the same product as available internationally... imported... same bottle with the mountain shapes on the body....

I remember when Evian was launched in India..... I think it was 2000. I was in mumbai .....visiting crossroads Mall with a bunch of friends....there was a big stall out side crossroads and they were doing all sorts of promo activities... they got pretty encouraged to get a bevy of girls infront of their stall . End result - we got a small bottle of evian (around Rs25) as free sample.

Amyth

I really hope at that exorbitant price it was less than a litter

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Nick-H

I bet it tastes really good after the machine-purified stuff we're used to!

Even London tap water tastes good to me!

GoanCanuck

That is exactly what I thought after reading what the OP had to say.

Khak

"Because even with a sticker price of Rs 100 per bottle of Evian, the company makes only Rs 15 crore in India from its water business. "

source
http://inhome.rediff.com/money/2007/jul/02curd.htm

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Khak

Another option - don't drink water at all , drink beer or juice which might be less contaminated

ananda2193

Beware that many people collect old empty water bottles and just put tapwater inside and resell it. They buy recapping gizmos that make it look like the bottle was never opened.

I always destroy my water bottle when I'm finished with it.

laratigger

Personally, I alway try to drink Himalayan because its supposed to be spring as opposed to bottled tap water. Their blurb goes

"
Himalayan Natural Mineral water is the only internationally accepted quality natural mineral water from India. It is graded equivalent to "Evian" and "Vittal" from France. Practically, all other waters in India are chemically treated and thus harmful for health. Wholesale suppliers of mineral water, himalayan water, mineral water bottle. This high quality natural mineral water is bottled at source at Dhaula Kuan, Himachal Pradesh, India by Mount Everest Mineral Water Limited, an ISO-9002 company. It is then exported to USA, Japan, France and other developed countries."

IIRC its about 20-25rps a bottle.