Is water supplied in jars safe?

Nowadays, most offices, teashops and restaurants in Dhaka city rely on jar suppliers for drinking water. Many new buildings and housing projects in and around the city that have no gas connection also depend on jar and bottled water. But their quality has always been a big concern. According to a recent study, at least 40 per cent plastic bottles and water jars sold commercially in the capital have microorganisms that make the water unsafe for consumption. A few years ago, another study conducted by the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) found that 98 per cent of the water jars sold in the city had E. coli in them. The E. coli bacteria are responsible for diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases. The findings are revealing that water jars are definitely not safe for human consumption. And we are buying health risks and diseases with our money in the name of safe drinking water.
The demand for drinking water is increasing day by day in megacities like Dhaka. And so are the numbers of companies selling drinking water. Unfortunately, many of these companies reportedly do not have Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) certificate. What is more worrying is that the companies, which bear BSTI authorisation, do not sell safe water, either. In this situation the authorities concerned must come forward and ensure us safe drinking water in jars. The BSTI should formulate a monitoring system and take necessary steps to ensure that drinking water meets standard requirements.

Abu Elias Linkon,
Banasree, Dhaka,
lightening_sparkle@yahoo.com