Spatio-temporal analysis of bottled mineral water brands and their compliance with standards

Abstract Assessing bottled mineral water (BMW) against drinking water guidelines set by the World health organization, international bottled water association, and Pakistan standards and quality control authority is critical for ensuring product safety. The present study used physico-chemical parameters to conduct a spatio-temporal analysis of BMW brands in Pakistan. Data were collected from the Pakistan council of research in water resources (PCRWR), comprised of 33 water quality reports (2013–2024) from various districts of Pakistan. The prime objective was to create spatial maps of physico-chemical parameters, including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), hardness, total dissolved solids (TDS), chloride (Cl) and arsenic (As). Comparative analysis of water samples from BMW brands revealed that safe brands met the permissible ranges for pH, EC, hardness, TDS, Cl, and arsenic (As), while unsafe brands did not meet these limit and were deemed for consumption. Integrating spatial data with geographic information systems enabled a more efficient and timely assessment of physico-chemical parameters. Additionally, classifying brands as safe, unsafe, disappeared and emerging over quarterly periods helped allowed for clear differentiation. Overall, the results underscore the importance of continued regulatory efforts by the PCRWR to maintain high standards for BMW in Pakistan. Future strategies could include more frequent testing, public disclosure of non-compliant brands, and incentives for consistent performers to further improve market safety and reliability.