Tamil Nadu tightens restrictions on use of 20-litre water cans

Tamil Nadu: The Food Safety Department has issued a strict warning regarding 20-liter plastic drinking water cans used in homes and offices. The department has clarified that if these cans are reused more than 30 times, the companies and sellers involved will be fined and legal action will be taken.

The department also stated that these water cans should never be kept in direct sunlight, as this can cause harmful particles from the plastic to leach into the water, which can be detrimental to health. As the heat increases, the demand for drinking water in the state has increased, and consumption has reportedly increased nearly threefold in the past few weeks.

Meanwhile, allegations of poor quality water being sold in some areas have also surfaced, leading the Tamil Nadu government to direct all district food safety officers to strictly monitor water quality.

Food safety officers have directed that all companies manufacturing and supplying water cans in the state must follow the department’s guidelines. Strict action will be taken against those selling water without permission or with poor quality.

According to the new rules, each water can must clearly state the manufacturer’s name, production date, and expiry date on the label. It also mandates that one liter of drinking water must contain between 10 and 75 milligrams of calcium and 5 to 30 milligrams of magnesium.

Furthermore, the directive states that filling water in dirty, scratched, or damaged cans is strictly prohibited. Cans should not be reused more than 30 times to maintain water quality.

Shops and factories violating the rules will be fined up to ₹5,000. Repeated violations also threaten license cancellation.

The department stated that this step was taken to provide safe and clean drinking water to the public and to prevent the sale of adulterated or substandard water in the market.