How safe is bottled water delivered at your doorstep?

RAJKOT: Random 20-litre water bottles, and water jugs with labels claiming 'pure RO drinking water' have flooded the markets everywhere. Ever thought about how hygienic the packaged water maybe? Or if the water is even filtered? Maybe not. This lassitude may, however, push you towards many water-borne hazards.
Along with large-scale urbanization, these bottled suppliers too have mushroomed, setting shop in places that are either in water-shadow areas or out of municipal limits. The entire business of loose drinking water is unregulated.
However, under the Bombay Municipal Act, the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) has the power to check these suppliers under public health. Recently, it examined over 100 units of such bottles and also served notices to these suppliers to maintain hygiene.
According to the civic officials, as these bottles do not come under packaged water or mineral water categories, they do not fall under the ambit of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and hence, are not required to obtain food licences or RMC registrations.
According to rough estimates, over 130 loose water bottle suppliers cater to the newly developed areas where RMC is not able to provide piped water. The residents of these areas are forced to use groundwater which has high TDS and is not fit for human consumption. Option less, they are forced to remain dependent on such suppliers for potable water.
The other use of this bottled water is in offices, where they are an easy source of drinking water.
Municipal health officer, Jayesh Vakani told TOI, "We have instructed all those who bottle and sell loose water to maintain cleanliness and hygiene. At many places, we found unclean water bottles, algae and black fungus developing in the water storage tanks and on the surface of the room where the water is treated."
He further said that RMC teams would recheck the same premises in the next two weeks to see if the operators followed the instructions. "We may take action and seal the units if we find that public health is being compromised," he added.
These water traders take groundwater as well as water from wells and process it in RO plants. Thereafter they distribute the bottles and jugs in their vans.