Islamabad, Sep 1 (IANS): Pakistan has launched its own mineral water to cut costs as part of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) governments austerity drive, Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry has said.

The Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources (PCRWR) has prepared a 500 ml water bottle named "Safe Drinking Water", the minister said in a statement on Saturday.

In the first phase, mineral water bottles will first be used at the Prime Minister's Office, President House and Parliament House after which it will be made available to the general public, he added.

"We have rolled out these water bottles for Re 1 per litre and it is a quality drinking water," the Minister separately told The Express Tribune.

He said the PCRWR has collected water samples from around the country for the survey, adding that the ratio of salts in the water was examined in the survey.

According to the ratio of salts in water samples collected from all tehsils, water plants would be established in these areas with the help of private companies.

Chaudhry told The Express Tribune these plants would be established with easy installments loans to people so that cheap and safe drinking water is available throughout the country.