KMC Halts Sales of 11 Drinking Water Brands, Fines Each Rs 200,000 for Fecal Contamination

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has banned the sale and distribution of 11 drinking water brands after detecting fecal coliform in their samples. Each brand has been fined Rs 200,000, with KMC ordering the companies to deposit the fines in the city’s revenue account.

The contaminated samples were collected between August 29 and September 13. Out of 21 samples tested, 11 were found to have fecal coliform levels exceeding the acceptable Colony Forming Unit (CFU) standards, making the water unsafe for consumption. The brands include Fresh Drop, Aqua Peace, Aqua Tokha, Kolbhoteshwar, Aqua DB, Aqua Mild, and others. Some samples had coliform levels as high as 300 CFU, far exceeding the zero coliform standard set by the government.

KMC has instructed that further testing be conducted in government laboratories, and sales will only resume if reports confirm zero fecal coliforms in the water.