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Water Testing

Should a Packaged Drinking Plant have in-house Lab ?

The straight forward answer to this question is : NOT Mandatory. FSSAI1, the chief regulator doesn’t anywhere say that you should have a lab. Hence, is it mandatory ? NO. Packaged Drinking Water Plant should have an FSSAI certificate now, it’s mandatory. ISI2 issued by the BIS3 is not mandatory.

But you can have one, it’s optional, like a BIS registration. However, if you opt for a BIS issued ISI license, you are required to maintain an in-house lab, and carry out certain tests also on a daily basis.

Table of Contents

Doesn’t FSSAI have daily tests like the BIS ?

No. FSSAI has made it compulsory to generate & keep some test reports on Monthly, some on Six-Monthly & some on Yearly basis. In addition certain reports are also required to be uploaded by the License/Registration holders4 mandatorily every six months. In addition there is an annual audit by a 3rd party agency needed, every year.

What is advisable ?

Depends upon the enterprise. Looking at the overall goal, & funds available, the owner can take a call. The Market has completely changed compared to the earlier scenario.

  • There are many new players now
  • With the ease in entering the business, it has become competitive
  • FSSAI is more strict than the BIS. You need to maintain better hygiene standards
  • The Packaged Drinking Water is a High-Risk Category

Importance of Strategic Approach

Even just a BIS registration may not be sufficient. You might require FSMS, HACCP and other certifications also, in addition to the BIS. To survive & flourish in this new market, you need better clients who might demand better quality & hygiene standards. A Phase-wise progressive approach is what is desirable.

Get Proper Consultation

For a One-time advise on whether you need a lab or not, take an assesment from us. It’s a 1-time service.

For a consistent performance monitoring, you need a Mentor who will guide you from beginning, technical consultants will be for a certain time period. Mentor hand-holds you till reaching certain milestones through a proper strategic outlook. Check our Mentoring Service Video :-

Check Other Services, also check Recorded Training Course

  1. Check Website :- https://fssai.gov.in/ ↩︎
  2. Indian Standard’s Certificate Mark ↩︎
  3. Bureau of Indian Standards:- https://www.bis.gov.in/ ↩︎
  4. Upto 1.5 CR Annual Turnover, just a Registration is sufficient ↩︎

FAQ’s

Q1. Is an in-house lab mandatory for a Packaged Drinking Water Plant?

Ans: No, it is not mandatory according to FSSAI, the chief regulator. However, if you opt for a BIS-issued ISI mark/license, maintaining an in-house laboratory becomes 100% compulsory.

Q2. Does FSSAI require daily water testing like BIS?

Ans: No, FSSAI does not require daily testing records like BIS. Instead, FSSAI mandates generating and uploading test reports on a Monthly, Six-Monthly, and Yearly basis, along with an annual third-party audit.

Q3. What happens if a water plant has a turnover under 1.5 CR?

Ans: For water plant enterprises with an annual turnover up to Rs. 1.5 Crore, a basic FSSAI registration is sufficient rather than a full state or central license.

Q4. Why is a strategic, phase-wise approach recommended for a water plant setup?

Ans: Packaged drinking water is a High-Risk category with intense market competition. A phase-wise approach helps manage costs while progressively adopting higher standards like BIS, FSMS, and HACCP to attract premium clients.

Q5. Can I operate a packaged drinking water plant using only an FSSAI license?

Ans: Yes, you can legally operate with just an FSSAI license. However, your marketing strategy will change since you cannot use the ISI mark on your bottles. This approach is highly recommended for low-budget startups to test the market first