A Report on Quality Practices of Neelkamal Packaged Drinking Water

INTRODUCTION

Drinking water or potable water is water of sufficiently high quality that it can be consumed or used without risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually consumed or used in food preparation.

Over large parts of the world, humans have inadequate access to potable water and use sources contaminated with disease vectors, pathogens or unacceptable levels of dissolved chemicals or suspended solids. Such water is not potable and drinking or using such water in food preparation leads to widespread acute and chronic illnesses and is a major cause of death in many countries. Reduction of waterborne diseases is a major public health goal in developing countries.

WHAT IS THE NEED FOR QUALITY?

Water is essential to sustain life, and a satisfactory safe supply must be made available to consumers. Many different chemicals may occur in drinking water. The problems associated with chemical constituents of drinking water arise primarily from their ability to cause significant human health risks after prolonged periods of exposure; of particular concern are contaminants that have cumulative toxic properties, such as heavy metals.

Safe drinking water is a basic need for human development, health and well-being, it is an internationally accepted human right (WHO, 2001 ). Chemical contaminants of drinking water are often considered a lower priority than microbial contaminants, as adverse health effects from chemical contaminants are generally associated with long-term exposures, whereas the effects from microbial contaminants are usually immediate. Nonetheless, chemicals in water supplies can cause very serious problems (WHO, 2007).

The abundance of toxic chemicals in drinking water may cause adverse effect on the human health such as cancer and chronic illness. Epidemiological studies have...