‘Microplastics in tap water’: Goa says drinking water safe

A day after a study by CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) and Toxics Link that found microplastics in samples of tap water supplied to households in Goa was released, the state Public Works Department (PWD) on Thursday said that drinking water supplied by them in Goa is safe and fit for human consumption. There should not be “any fear and anxiety” in this regard, it said.

In a statement, the PWD said, “…(The) Report on Microplastics in Drinking Water published by WHO in 2019 indicates that Microplastics are ubiquitous in the environment and have been detected in marine water, wastewater, fresh water, food, air and drinking water — both bottled and tap water.”

The PWD said even according to guidelines of WHO, which monitors air, water and health, “there is no mention of testing of microplastic parameter content and no correct mechanism or procedure is made available in any standard/manual all over the world.”