Govt to make BIS standard must for tap water in select cities, to start consultation soon: Paswan

The Centre will soon start consultation process to make mandatory compliance of the BIS quality standard for tap water to begin with in the national capital, state capitals and 100 smart cities, Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said on Thursday.

The Delhi government and Jal Board authorities have no reservations on making the BIS standard mandatory for tap water, he said.

A preliminary investigation of tap water samples collected randomly from 11 areas in the national capital has showed that water did not conform with the BIS standard and was not safe for drinking, he added.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the national body that frames quality norms for products and services and works under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, has set standards for the drinking water but are voluntary in nature.

"After looking at the preliminary report of tap water supplied in Delhi, we are thinking of making mandatory the BIS standards on tap water at least in the national capital, state