How to get ISI Certification for Mineral Water Plant?

It is a well-known fact that only 3% of the water available on the earth is fit for human consumption. Out of this, most of the freshwater comes from inaccessible glaciers and snow-capped mountains, and the rest still needs to be treated. Humans try to meet the ever-increasing demand for clean drinking water by setting up mineral water plants. The demand for drinking water is something that will never see a dip as it is an essential commodity that everyone needs either at home or while traveling. In India, if a person wants to set up a packaged drinking water plant, then it is mandatory for him to obtain the ISI Certification for Mineral Water Plant.

What is the need for ISI Certification for Mineral Water plants?

Water is a basic yet essential commodity. In India, we don’t have good quality tap water or access to drinkable water in public places. This has made us dependent on packaged mineral water. Further factors such as health awareness and the booming tourism industry have demanded that the government regulate the mineral water plants. That’s why the government has made it mandatory to obtain ISI Certification for Mineral Water plants for packaged water.

Tests for ISI Certification for Mineral Water plant

Packaging Standards for ISI Certification for Mineral Water plant

General guidelines ISI Certification for Mineral Water plant

The water that will be treated/purified must only be obtained from the following sources:

• Surface water
• Civic water supply
• Underground
• Seawater.
• The owners/in charge of the plant must ensure that the water is not over-extracted from the abovementioned sources. The extraction should be in consonance with the guidelines Central Groundwater Authority (CGWA) gave. If the entity is found to be making unauthorised water extraction, then it shall be liable for penalties under Environment Protection Act^[1].
• The entity should not pollute the water, i.e. it should not release chemical agents and minimise the presence of harmful microbes in the water.
• Water should be packed in a manner which would not require further treatment before consumption.
• When the plant remineralises the water, then it must ensure that the ingredients used for it are of food grade/ pharma grade.

Documents required for ISI Certification for Mineral Water plant

Documents needed for ISI Certification for Mineral Water plant are as follows:

• Details of trademark registration
• Memorandum of association/ articles of association/partnership deed (if applicable)
• Certificate of pollution control
• Test reports of the water from BIS authorised labs
• Medical certificates of the workers in the plant
• The layout of the plant
• Electric load sanction
• Pest control certificate
• Document regarding the lease of land and ownership

Process of obtaining ISI Certification for Mineral Water plant

The following is the procedure for obtaining ISI Certification for Mineral Water plant:

• Conducting the test for Indian standards:
  • The packaged water from the mineral water plant shall be sent to a BIS recognised lab.
  • The entity can create a request for the test by logging into a manak portal of BIS.
  • The labs shall conduct the tests for all the Indian standards as mentioned in the table above.
  • Once the report is generated, the labs update it back on the Manak portal from where the request had been generated.
• Filing of Application:
  • After receiving the test results from labs, the applicant can begin with the application process.
  • The application shall be again made through the Manak portal. Here the applicant needs to upload all the documents as and when prompted.
  • Once all the details are filled in and the documents uploaded, the applicant must pay the respective fees and submit the file.
  • The fee shall comprise an application, annual, inspection, and marking fees.
• Scrutiny of documents and inspection
  • BIS shall conduct verification of the documents and details as specified by the entity. The test results of the product shall also be scrutinised.
  • In case the department needs any clarification or documents. The same must be provided to the department before the date of inspection.
  • BIS officials will visit the factory for inspection and will overlook the process.
  • The officer shall also verify the documents uploaded in hardcopy, and once satisfied, he shall complete the inspection process.
• Grant of ISI Certification for Mineral Water plant
  • The BIS officials shall submit the inspection documents with relevant observations and comments
  • The certification officer, after validating the document will grant the applicant the ISI Certification for Mineral Water plant.
  • once the certification is received, the applicant shall be able to use the ISI logo on his product.

Validity of the ISI Certification for Mineral Water plant

The certification is valid for a period of one year, after which the applicant needs to apply for the renewal of the license.

Conclusion:

It is mandatory for an entity to obtain an ISI Certification if they want to set up a Mineral Water plant. The ISI standard ensures that the water is suitable for consumption as it is free from harmful chemicals and microorganisms. The ISI certification is to be renewed at the end of every year. The entity must ensure that the standards are constantly being maintained. Otherwise, it can lead to the cancellation of the certificate and seizure of the business.

Read our Article:How to get BIS ISI for non-electronic toys?