The regulatory tightening comes after statewide laboratory tests revealed that nearly 78% of collected water samples failed quality norms, with 176 samples declared unsafe for human consumption. LUCKNOW The state Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) has made Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification mandatory for all packaged drinking and mineral water manufacturers.
Inspections also revealed shortcomings in the infrastructure and hygiene practices of several units. The latest order seeks to make certification a mandatory condition for market entry and continued manufacturing, rather than relying solely on routine inspections and subsequent enforcement action. The findings raised concerns about contamination and deficiencies in the manufacturing and water treatment processes. In some cases, manufacturers could not produce source water test reports. Deficiencies were found in treatment facilities, including filtration systems, ultraviolet (UV) treatment plants and ozonation equipment. Manual handling during production in certain units was also identified as a potential source of contamination.
Jacob said the decision had been taken under the relevant provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with public health as the primary consideration. Because consumers often rely on sealed bottles and jars as a reliable source of drinking water, she said the findings have brought the safety of packaged water into focus, particularly.
Harmful microorganisms found in samples According to the FSDA, laboratory examination of unsafe samples detected microorganisms, including E. coli, coliform bacteria, yeast and mould.
The subsequent inspection drive revealed widespread non-compliance among the samples examined, prompting the state to reintroduce BIS certification as a mandatory requirement for licensing new units and continuing the operations of existing manufacturers. These findings suggest that the concerns were not confined to the final product but extended to processes intended to ensure water quality before packaging. The two categories have different regulatory implications: unsafe samples indicate a direct health concern, while substandard samples fail to meet one or more prescribed quality requirements. Production at affected units has been stopped pending necessary improvements and compliance with applicable requirements. The latest order extends the compliance framework to manufacturers operating in the state under central licences, bringing them within the same certification deadline. Regulatory change preceded rise in units The order comes against the backdrop of a change in the regulatory framework for packaged water. Subsequently, packaged water was placed in the high-risk food category, and the BIS certification requirement for licensing manufacturing units was also removed.
Of the 660 samples tested, 176 were classified as unsafe, while 337 were categorised as substandard. Licences of 152 units suspended The FSDA has suspended the licences or registrations of 152 manufacturing units after inspections and laboratory tests revealed deficiencies. The department has also recommended suspension of the central licences of 55 units. Under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, ISI certification was required for the sale of packaged drinking and mineral water. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) removed this requirement with effect from October 18, 2024. The number of packaged drinking water and packaged mineral water manufacturing units in UP increased after the change, taking the total to 968, according to the state department.
The combined figure, therefore, should not be interpreted as meaning that all 513 samples posed the same degree of health risk.
For the state’s 968 existing manufacturing units—including those operating in Uttar Pradesh under central licences — the department has set a strict compliance deadline of March 31, 2027. The decision follows inspections of 811 packaged water manufacturing units over the past year. The department collected 660 samples, of which 176 were found unsafe for consumption and another 337 failed to meet prescribed quality standards. Together, the 513 unsafe or substandard samples accounted for nearly 78% of those tested, highlighting the extent of quality concerns identified during the inspections.
Under an immediate directive issued by FSDA commissioner Roshan Jacob, no new manufacturing unit in UP will be granted a food safety licence or registration without first securing a BIS certificate.. Units that fail to obtain BIS certification by the cutoff date will have their licences suspended and production halted until they achieve full compliance.
