Water is a major requirement for the pharmaceutical industry. We cannot imagine life without water and even in pharmaceutical manufacturing water is one of the most important requirements and based on the regulatory requirements the standards for water are established. There are different types of water in pharma based on the use and need of the process employed.

Types of Water Used

1. Non-Potable Water
2. Potable water
3. Purified Water
4. Water for Injection
5. Sterile Water for Injection
6. Bacteriostatic Water for Injection
7. Sterile Water for Irrigation
8. Water for Hemodialysis.

The above-mentioned ones are the types of water used in pharmaceuticals or also called as pharmaceutical waters. Non potable water is used for used for gardening and other cleaning activities like outer surface of factory. whereas potable water is safe for drinking and from these remaining types of water is prepared. Potable water is used for cleaning of pharmaceutical equipment’s at the start of cleaning and sometimes it is heated and is called as hot potable water.

Coming to the next is purified water which is free from ions, microbes and organic matter. Purified water is used for cleaning as well as solvent for binder preparation, coating solution preparation especially in non-sterile formulations like tablets, pellets etc.

Sterile water for injection is high quality water free from impurities and pyrogens and is used as diluent for injectable formulations whereas WFI is used for preparation of injectable formulations. Bacteriostatic water contains bacteriostatic agent. The water used in pharmaceutical industries must be regularly checked for microbial growth, regular water sanitization should be done by abiding the regulations set by WHO, FDA, EMA etc.