What is Bisleri water and how is it purified?
Bisleri is a well-established brand of packaged drinking water in India, known for its extensive purification methods. The company sources raw water from various locations, including borewells, and puts it through a multi-stage process to ensure it is clean, safe, and mineral-enriched for consumption.
Bisleri's 10-Step Purification Process
Bisleri outlines a rigorous purification process that raw water undergoes before it is bottled. This ensures the removal of harmful contaminants and the addition of essential minerals for taste and health.
- Collection of Water: Raw water is collected from reliable sources, including borewells.
- Ozonisation: Ozone is used to kill micro-bacteria in the raw water.
- Sand Filtration: This step removes suspended sand and dust particles.
- Carbon Filtration: This is a double filtration process that eliminates residual chlorine, odor, color, and taste.
- Reverse Osmosis (RO): This process removes excess salts, heavy metals, and dissolved impurities.
- Mineralisation: Essential minerals like magnesium and potassium are added back to the water.
- Micron-filtration: This step removes the tiniest particles to guarantee purity.
- Re-ozonisation: This final stage ensures the water remains bacteria-free for a longer shelf life.
- Careful Bottling: Bottling occurs in a sterile, automated environment to prevent human contact and contamination.
- Quality Control: The final sealed bottle is checked for leaks or defects and its quality is assured with the label detailing manufacturing information.
Potential risks and considerations
While Bisleri's process is robust, consumer risks primarily stem from counterfeiting, improper storage, and the long-term use of plastic bottles.
Counterfeit products
One of the most significant risks for consumers is inadvertently purchasing counterfeit bottled water. In India, there is a large market for illegal refills of branded water bottles. To protect yourself, always check for the following when buying Bisleri:
- The Seal: Ensure the tamper-proof cap is intact and has the correct branding.
- The Bottle: Genuine Bisleri bottles have specific designs, and the brand encourages crushing the bottle after use to prevent refilling.
- Labeling: The label on the cap and the bottle should match and be clearly legible.
Plastic bottle concerns
The bottles themselves are a point of concern for some health-conscious consumers. Bisleri uses polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is generally considered food-grade and safe. However, risks can arise from improper use and storage:
- Chemical Leaching: Storing PET bottles for prolonged periods in high temperatures, such as in a hot car, can cause trace amounts of chemicals from the plastic to leach into the water.
- Bacterial Growth: Reusing single-use bottles is not recommended, as it is difficult to clean them thoroughly, and bacteria can grow inside.
- Environmental Impact: Beyond health, the environmental impact of single-use plastic is a major consideration, which Bisleri attempts to mitigate through recycling initiatives like 'Bottles for Change'.
Comparison: Bisleri vs. Other Water Sources
To understand the context of Bisleri's safety, it helps to compare it with other common water sources. This table outlines the key differences.
| Feature | Bisleri (Packaged Water) | Tap Water (in India) | RO Purified Water (at home) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purity & Contamination | Scientifically purified, tested for microbes and chemicals. | Often unsafe due to pollution, bacteria, and contaminants. | Removes bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, and chemicals. |
| Mineral Content | Minerals like magnesium and potassium are added back. | Can vary significantly; may contain unwanted dissolved solids or heavy metals. | Removes beneficial minerals along with impurities. |
| Accessibility | Widely available across India in various sizes. | Highly accessible at home, but quality is unreliable. | Requires an upfront investment in a home purification system. |
| Risk of Tampering | Susceptible to counterfeiting; must check seals. | Generally no risk of tampering at the source. | No risk of tampering once installed. |
| Cost | More expensive per liter than tap or home-purified water. | Very low cost. | Higher initial cost, lower ongoing cost per liter. |
| Plastic Risk | Comes in PET plastic bottles; risk of chemical leaching under heat. | No plastic bottle risk. | No risk of leaching from single-use plastic bottles. |
The verdict on Bisleri safety
Bisleri is a reliable choice for drinking water, particularly when traveling or in areas with unreliable tap water. The brand's rigorous purification process and quality controls ensure the water inside is pure and safe. However, the consumer must remain vigilant by checking the seal to avoid the risks associated with counterfeit bottles. Additionally, being aware of the potential for chemical leaching from prolonged exposure of PET bottles to heat and avoiding the reuse of single-use bottles are important considerations for maximizing safety. Ultimately, for guaranteed purity and peace of mind when on the go, a sealed Bisleri bottle is a safe and trusted option.
Conclusion
Is it safe to drink Bisleri water? Yes, a genuine, properly stored bottle of Bisleri is safe to drink, backed by the company's multi-stage purification and quality testing. The primary risks lie with external factors like counterfeiting and improper storage by the consumer, not with the product itself. To ensure safety, always purchase from a reputable vendor and check the cap's seal, as a vigilant consumer is the last line of defense against counterfeits. For those with long-term concerns about plastic, home filtration systems or reusable, non-plastic containers may be preferable, but for reliable convenience, Bisleri remains a trusted choice.
