MUZAFFARABAD, Aug 7: Most of the springs’ water within the municipal limits here is unfit for drinking whereas on the contrary tap water being supplied by the public health department is safe and in accordance with the World Health Organization’s standards, it was revealed at a briefing.

The briefing was held at Greater Water Supply Plant by the PHD officials, including executive engineer Ishtiaq Hussain Syed and research officer Robina Shafi.

The plant was built during 1980s on the left bank of River Neelum in Makri area.

The executive engineer said there was a misconception that the water of the springs in the municipal limits was more pure. “We have conducted tests in our lab on water samples from almost all springs and found them contaminated and injurious to human health,” Ms Shafi told reporters in the plant’s well equipped and WHO approved lab.

“It is because the springs are located around densely populated areas and hence prone to pollution by seepage from sewerage lines,” she added.

“On the contrary, the water supplied from this plant is fully treated and hundred per cent fit for human consumption,” she said.

She claimed that given the pH value of the tap water in Muzaffarabad, it was much better than most of the mineral water bottles of various brands that had flooded the markets.

Earlier, the executive engineer rejected reports that some localities of the city were being supplied unclean water. “This is not possible in view of the supply system and such reports are based on misunderstanding,” he said.

The plant was designed to supply 3 million gallons water per day but that capacity was gradually enhanced to 4.2 million gallons by increasing the timings of motors to meet the growing water needs in the town, he said.

However, he admitted that the supply was less than that of the demand by 1 million gallons per day.

He said the feasibility study of the second phase of Makri plant had been submitted to the government and the project would be initiated soon.