§1What this business is

Water from a borewell or tubewell is treated in a water-treatment plant, tested in a small lab and packed in pouches on a pouch-packing machine; 20-litre jars are refilled for homes and offices. The KVIC profile estimates 3,60,000 pouches and 15,000 jar refills a year. It cites BIS norms; today packaged drinking water and natural mineral water both need compulsory BIS certification.

Capacity: 1,32,400 litres a year in the cost table; the profile text estimates 3,60,000 pouches and 15,000 jar refills a year.

§2Is it right for you?

Who it is for

Someone with good groundwater on own land and a local delivery network.

Who it is not for

Someone in a water-stressed area or who cannot keep up daily lab testing.

Advantages

  • Water is needed every day
  • Jar refills bring repeat customers
  • Simple process once the plant is set up
  • Demand rising with hygiene awareness (as the profile says)

Drawbacks

  • BIS certification and FSSAI licence are mandatory
  • Groundwater permission needed
  • Many local water plants compete on price
  • Delivery logistics for jars

Skills you need

  • Water treatment and testing
  • Hygiene and BIS compliance
  • Delivery route management
  • Local sales

Why difficulty 3/5: Simple process but strict testing, BIS and groundwater rules.

§3Market

Who buys

  • Homes and offices (20-litre jars)
  • Shops, bus stands, events and weddings (pouches)

How it sells

  • Own delivery routes
  • Retail shops and kiosks
  • Event caterers

Good to know

  • The profile sees demand growing many-fold with hygiene awareness.

§4Raw material & machinery

ItemQtyCost
Borewell / tubewell arrangement1₹1,00,000
Equipment set: water treatment plant, tubewell, pouch packing machine, tap dispenser, laboratory equipment1 set₹6,50,000

From: KVIC Project Profile — Natural Mineral Water (PMEGP)

  • Groundwaterfrom your own borewell; raw material ₹70,000 a year in the profile
  • Pouch film, labels and jarslabels and packing ₹1,50,000 a year in the profile

From: KVIC Project Profile — Natural Mineral Water (PMEGP)

Suppliers in Building Business Bazaar

CENTRAL WATER LABORATORY · Port Blair →CHOKSI LABORATORIES LIMITED · Verna →SHREEJI MATERIALS TESTING LABORATORY LLP · Bhavnagar →SGS INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED · Ahmedabad →AHMEDABAD TEXTILE INDUSTRY'S RESEARCH ASSOCIATION (ATIRA) · Ahmedabad →GO GREEN MECHANISMS PRIVATE LIMITED (TESTING LABORATORY) · Ahmedabad →ATMY ANALYTICAL LABS PVT. LTD. · Faridabad →ALPHA TEST HOUSE PRIVATE LIMITED · Bahadurgarh →STERLING TEST AND RESEARCH CENTRE LLP · Faridabad →AURIGA RESEARCH PRIVATE LIMITED · Solan →ETL TEST HOUSE PRIVATE LIMITED · Jammu →AGRO TECH AROMATICS PVT. LTD. · Bari Brahmana →

§5Licences & registration

  1. BIS certification (ISI mark): IS 14543 for packaged drinking water or IS 13428 for natural mineral water
  2. FSSAI licence
  3. Groundwater NOC from the Central or State Ground Water Authority
  4. State Pollution Control Board consent
  5. Udyam
  6. GST

We can do this registration for you

§6Schemes & subsidies

PMEGP (this is a KVIC/PMEGP profile), MUDRA and CGTMSE fit.

§7Money

How the investment is worked out: KVIC profile: total ₹11,10,000 = borewell/tubewell ₹1,00,000 + building shed (1,000 sq ft) ₹2,00,000 + equipment ₹6,50,000 (water treatment plant, tubewell, pouch packing machine, tap dispenser, lab equipment) + working capital ₹1,60,000. Land own.

Working capital: Working capital ₹1,60,000; labels and packing ₹1,50,000 a year is the biggest running material cost in the profile.

Year not printed on the KVIC profile — check current machinery prices.

How to prepare a loan file

§8Export potential

Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export

2201Waters, including natural or artificial mineral waters, not sweetened or flavoured

Export council / board: APEDA

  • Pouch and jar water is a local business; exports are rare.

§9Risks — where people fail

  • Failed water tests or BIS action
  • Groundwater restrictions
  • Price war with local plants
  • Jar losses and damage

§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan

A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.

  1. Days 1–30: Visit a working natural mineral water / packaged water unit unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
  2. Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (BIS certification (ISI mark): IS 14543 for packaged drinking water or IS 13428 for natural mineral water, FSSAI licence), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
  3. Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.

§11Who to connect with

Not verified yet

Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect

§12Watch

There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.

Want to start Natural Mineral Water / Packaged Water Unit?

DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.

Get a DPR / loan file made

Sources

  1. KVIC Project Profile — Natural Mineral Water (PMEGP)

Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.