SA water producers say researchers from Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University misunderstood and misinterpreted the results of their own study.

Mineral water producers are up in arms over a report claiming that tests had found bottled water to be potentially toxic and loaded with heavy metals, firing back with their own research.

The latest report, published in Food Review, is in response to results published by the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University in Pretoria towards the end of 2022.

That report, issued on 16 November, noted bottled water was one of the fastest-growing commercial products in both developing and developed countries owing to the belief that it was safe and pure. And yet it said the water tested was anything but safe and pure.

In South Africa, the authors of the Sefako report wrote, sales of bottled water were driven by the perception that water supplied by the government might not be safe for human consumption. The study investigated concentrations of trace metals and the physico-chemical properties of bottled water bought from various supermarkets in Pretoria to determine health risks.

Twelve commonly available brands of water were purchased and analysed for trace-metal content. Three of the samples had pH values...