KARACHI: Drinking water assessment project in doldrums
By Mukhtar Alam
KARACHI, Feb 3: A drinking water quality assessment project pertaining to three cities of Sindh including Karachi, is still incomplete despite the passage of more than a year.
Sources in the provincial environment department attributed the quality survey’s non-completion due to the towns and districts administrations concerned.
We have completed field works and laboratory analysis of over 1,000 samples of piped water drawn from different parts of Karachi, Hyderabad and Kotri, but are unable to conclude the inspection proceedings as the final reports and recommendations remain incomplete, said a Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa), official.
The provincial government allocated one million rupees in its annual budget for assessment of drinking water quality in Karachi, Hyderabad and Kotri in June 2005. The Sepa started collection of water samples according to projects details on priority basis through its staff, claimed the official.
The piped water supplied to the metropolis has always been seen as a threat to personal and environmental hygiene by scientists who demand proper water purification prior to its distribution. Experts have observed from time to time that the microbial load in drinking water supplied in Karachi was significantly high, which also consisted of bacteria found in sewage and as such it becomes the responsibility of the water managers and the other concerned agencies to seriously look into the matter ass contaminated water causes not only intestinal tract infections but also affects the eyes and skin of human beings.
In all 500 samples were collected from all 18 towns of Karachi, 300 samples from Hyderabad and 200 from Kotri by December 2005. The purpose of the SEPA survey was to enable the authorities to come up with long-term viable measures ensuring safe drinking water, particularly in the suburbs. The official said laboratory work on the collected samples were initiated only after receipt of funds from the government, which were released behind schedule.
Physical, chemical and microbiological tests were conducted according to WHO parameters. At one filter plant in Karachi, the water was found fit for human consumption at the delivery point, but its quality degraded considerably when the supply was tested at the user end. In every town or district, the drinking water was found contaminated due to mixing of sewerage and seepage of different effluents including heavy metals, at some points or levels.
After completing the analysis, Sepa sent the relevant findings to the concerned authorities, including city and district nazims, the managing directors of Wasa, HDA, KWSB and different conservation organisations and for their comments. Incidentally, almost all of these concerned offices, despite several reminders, have failed to submit their comments, the official said.
When the Sepa’s senior scientific officer, S M Yahya was contacted he said work pertaining to the project was almost complete and the assessment report would be placed before experts and the concerned authorities at a seminar to be held on March 22 on the occasion of World Water Day. The water quality assessment project has cost the government R 4 million, he said.
