At a workshop held in Islamabad, the other day, on "Development of Way forward for Drinking Water Quality Monitoring and Improvement" speakers endorsed what is already common knowledge: that most of our drinking water is unsafe for human consumption.
A report of the findings of a quality testing survey, conducted by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), informed the workshop that the Council had collected some 357 samples from different parts of the country, 87 percent of which were found unfit for drinking. 68 percent of the samples had bacteriological contamination, while 24 percent contained unacceptable levels of arsenic, 13 percent nitrate, and five percent of fluoride.
It was further pointed out that more than five million acre feet of industrial and domestic wastes were being dumped into freshwater bodies every year. Other sources of trouble include excessive use of fertilisers, and fast depletion of underground aquifers.
The government agencies add their own bit in the form of poorly maintained supply lines. An analysis of water supply in Rawalpindi, conducted three years ago, for instance, revealed that 70 percent of the supply pipelines were rusty and carelessly laid close to sewers. As a result, sewerage-mixed water was being supplied to homes.
Thus water, the sustainer of all life on this planet, has become a significant source of the spread of various life-threatening diseases. It is a major cause of infant mortality in this country. As many as 200,000 children die annually because of diarrhoea. Acknowledging, the issue, Environment Minister Hameedullah Jan, who was present at the workshop, said that in the past, more attention was given to the provision of water than to ensuring its quality.
Unfortunately, the present and future does not seem to be getting any better. There are no signs of improvement. Although legislation is in place to stop the disposal of solid waste into freshwater bodies, and toxic effluents into the ground, from where they find their way into the underground water table, implementation is uncommon.
The way forward is not very difficult, provided the relevant ministries and agencies have the will to do the right thing. The environment ministries, both at the federal and provincial levels, need to fulfil their respective responsibilities to ensure implementation of the Environmental Protection Act. This law sets rules for industrial units to limit air emissions and effluents, in line with the National Environmental Quality Standards, and prescribes penalties for violators.
They should also undertake awareness campaigns about the hazards of fertiliser overuse as well as water wastage. Equally important, water and sanitation agencies, working under city governments, must put their act together. As the PCRWR research findings show, bacteriological contamination is the major cause of disease. That means that keeping the supply system clean alone can prove to be quite effective.
Courtesy: Business Recorder
A report of the findings of a quality testing survey, conducted by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), informed the workshop that the Council had collected some 357 samples from different parts of the country, 87 percent of which were found unfit for drinking. 68 percent of the samples had bacteriological contamination, while 24 percent contained unacceptable levels of arsenic, 13 percent nitrate, and five percent of fluoride.
It was further pointed out that more than five million acre feet of industrial and domestic wastes were being dumped into freshwater bodies every year. Other sources of trouble include excessive use of fertilisers, and fast depletion of underground aquifers.
The government agencies add their own bit in the form of poorly maintained supply lines. An analysis of water supply in Rawalpindi, conducted three years ago, for instance, revealed that 70 percent of the supply pipelines were rusty and carelessly laid close to sewers. As a result, sewerage-mixed water was being supplied to homes.
Thus water, the sustainer of all life on this planet, has become a significant source of the spread of various life-threatening diseases. It is a major cause of infant mortality in this country. As many as 200,000 children die annually because of diarrhoea. Acknowledging, the issue, Environment Minister Hameedullah Jan, who was present at the workshop, said that in the past, more attention was given to the provision of water than to ensuring its quality.
Unfortunately, the present and future does not seem to be getting any better. There are no signs of improvement. Although legislation is in place to stop the disposal of solid waste into freshwater bodies, and toxic effluents into the ground, from where they find their way into the underground water table, implementation is uncommon.
The way forward is not very difficult, provided the relevant ministries and agencies have the will to do the right thing. The environment ministries, both at the federal and provincial levels, need to fulfil their respective responsibilities to ensure implementation of the Environmental Protection Act. This law sets rules for industrial units to limit air emissions and effluents, in line with the National Environmental Quality Standards, and prescribes penalties for violators.
They should also undertake awareness campaigns about the hazards of fertiliser overuse as well as water wastage. Equally important, water and sanitation agencies, working under city governments, must put their act together. As the PCRWR research findings show, bacteriological contamination is the major cause of disease. That means that keeping the supply system clean alone can prove to be quite effective.
Courtesy: Business Recorder
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