KMC detects coliform in water from 11 brands in the valley

Each brand fined Rs 200,000, sales halted

KATHMANDU, Sept 30: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City has banned the sale and distribution of 11 different brands of drinking water after detecting  fecal coliform in the samples of those companies.

The local authorities decided to impose a fine of Rs 200,000 on each of those brands. Issuing a directive, the KMC instructed the companies to deposit the fines in the revenue account of the metropolis.

Similarly, the KMC has instructed the authorities concerned to test the samples of the water in which coliform was found in government laboratories, and to submit a report. The KMC has made it clear that it will issue permits for sales and distribution only if the report indicates zero fecal coliform level in the samples. 

The KMC had collected samples from various locations between August 29 and September 13. Additionally, after receiving complaints from consumers, a sample from one source was collected and sent to the laboratory of Kathmandu Valley Drinking Water Limited for testing.

Out of the 21 samples sent for testing, fecal coliform was detected in 11 of them. The test results were against the Colony Forming Unit (CFU) standards for every 100 milliliters of sample. The Colony Forming Unit (CFU) is a unit used to assess the presence of microorganisms.

According to mandatory quality standards for food products fixed by the government, processed drinking water must have zero coliform level. Fecal coliform indicates contamination. The presence of such microorganisms in water is considered unsafe for drinking.

Among the brands of water that were fined and had their sales halted, Batch No. 13 of Fresh Drop water was found to have a fecal coliform level of 23 CFU. Another sample -- produced by Pancharatna Group in Tokha Municipality, Ward-8 --taken on September 3 after complaints from consumers was also infected. .

Among the water samples taken on August 28, Batch No 12 of Aqua Peace was found to have 80 CFU of fecal coliform, while Aqua Tokha's water had a level of 30 CFU. Aqua Peace is produced by Peace Spring Water located in Tokha-8, while Aqua Tokha is produced by Aqua S.N.S. Beverage, also in Tokha.

Batch No 6 of the Kolbhoteshwar brand was tested on September 9. It contained 116 CFU of fecal coliform. This water is produced by Uttar Bahini Food and Beverage, which operates in Kageshwori Manohara.

On September 9, water samples were taken from various brands, including Aqua DB produced by Aqua Sundari Industry in Gokarneshwar, Aqua produced by Snow Cube Drinking Water located in Kageshwori Manohara, Cube Process Drinking Water produced by Stupa Industry in Gokarneshwar, and Aqua Mild produced by Moonlight Spring Mineral Water in Gokarneshwar. Fecal coliform was found in all of these samples. Aqua DB had 5 CFU, Aqua had 17 CFU, Cube Process Drinking Water of Batch No 200 had over 300 CFU, and Aqua Mild of Batch No 42 had 21 CFU.

Coliform was also found in samples of Aqua Kapan and Aqua Gaurishankar brands collected on September 13. Aqua Kapan had a fecal coliform level of 4 CFU, while Aqua Gaurishankar showed had over 300 CFU. Aqua Kapan is produced by M.K. Mineral Water Industry in the Kapan area of Budhanilkantha Municipality, and Aqua Gaurishankar is produced by Koshi Mineral Industry located in Gokarneshwar.