1) What is natural mineral water?
Water that comes from underground sources is termed as natural mineral water. When there is no further processing required and when it meets the quality standards we term them as Natural Mineral Water.

2) What is bottled water?
Bottled water is drinking water which is packed in plastic or glass water container varying in different capacities. Water may or may not be carbonated.

3) What is packaged drinking water?
Packaged drinking water uses water from any source which has to be treated and disinfected, a process that could involve filtration, UV or ozone treatment or reverse osmosis (RO) before it is fit for human consumption.

4) What is the Right relating to safe water in India?
The right to ‘pollution free water’ and the right of access to ‘safe drinking water’ has been read as a part of ‘Right to Life’ under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

5) What type of health issues can be related to water quality?
The presence of certain contaminants in our water can lead to health issues, including gastrointestinal illness, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders. Infants, young children, pregnant women, the elderly persons may be especially at risk for becoming ill after drinking contaminated water. For example, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children.

6) How do contaminants (germs and chemicals) get into my drinking water?
There can be many sources of contamination of our water systems. Here is a list of the most common sources of contaminants:

• Naturally occurring chemicals and minerals (for example, arsenic, radon, uranium)
• Local land use practices (fertilizers, pesticides, livestock, concentrated animal feeding operations)
• Manufacturing processes
• Sewer overflows
• Malfunctioning wastewater treatment systems (for example, nearby septic systems)

7) What are the basic requirements for setting up a packaged drinking water plant?
There are mainly 4 sections in a packaged drinking water plant: water treatment, bottling, quality control (lab) and overall utility. Generally, a standard 2000 LPH packaged drinking water plant needs: Total space: 5000 Sq. Ft built up area with 3000 Sq. Ft of covered area Power: 65 HP Raw water: Approximately 3000 LPH of raw water of which 70 % will be used and 30 % will be rejected. This is, however, an indicative quantity as it will depend on the TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) of the raw water. Project cost: Rs. 75 lakh approximately which includes the cost of machinery, utilities, furniture etc (Note – the cost was approximately).