Visakhapatnam: The demand for canned drinking water is steadily increasing in the city as not only offices or business units, but many households have also started using it over the years. However, the households are now expressing concern over the substandard cans being used by the manufacturing units. The civic body supplies piped drinking water for about an hour. So, many households for whom fetching water at the supply time is not convenient and are doubtful about the quality of the water, mostly depend on the canned water.

“The reusable jars are so dirty that I don’t feel like using that. I am paying Rs 40 for the 20-litre water can. When we complain, the suppliers say we have to pay more to avail the transparent bubble tops. The unclean jars could pose health hazards” said R. Lakshmi, a government employee residing at MVP Colony. Many users also pointed out that they get a foul smell when the can is sub-standard.

“The use of plastic can is itself harmful and using it for a long time is making things worse. The cans should be used for a certain period only,” said Mamta Narang, a nutritionist.
According to the guidelines of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) which gives ISI certification, the transparency of the reusable water jar must have a minimum of 85 per cent and also jars which get de-shaped and mutilated are not permitted for use.

However, many packaged water manufacturing units are openly flouting the rules and using the reusable jars for years, so long as that gets damaged. When some water manufacturing units were asked about the cans, they attributed it to the scrupulous units. The unit owners alleged that the fake water packaging units are misusing their stickers and selling the water in substandard cans with a cheaper price.