SC asks water purifier manufacturers to approach govt

The Supreme Court on Friday asked water purifier manufacturers association to approach the government on the National Green Tribunal's order prohibiting the use of reverse osmosis when total dissolved solids (TDS) in water are below 500 mg per litre.

The Water Quality India Association, representing RO manufacturers, questioned the validity of NGT's order to the government to regulate the use of purifiers and sensitise the public about the ill-effects of demineralised water.

A bench of Justices R F Nariman and S Ravindra Bhat said the association can approach the concerned ministry within 10 days with relevant material and the government will consider it before issuing a notification in accordance with the NGT's direction.

During the hearing, the counsel representing the association referred to a recent BIS report on water standards in various cities across the country and said it points to the presence of heavy metals in Delhi's groundwater.

The NGT had in May directed the government to prohibit RO purifiers in places where TDS in water is below 500 mg per litre and sensitise the public.

The tribunal had also asked the government to make it mandatory to recover more than 60 per cent water wherever RO purifiers are permitted.

TDS is made up of inorganic salts as well as small amounts of organic matter. According to a WHO study, TDS levels below 300 mg per litre are considered excellent, while 900 mg per litre is said to be poor and above 1,200 mg is unacceptable.

Reverse osmosis is a water treatment process that removes contaminants from water by using pressure to force molecules through a semipermeable membrane.