ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: The government is working on a project to conduct a prospective survey on water arsenic contamination in affected areas of Punjab and Sindh.

The project pertains to the water sector and the livelihood for sustained economic development of the country, said an official of the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources on Sunday.

The main objectives of Rs35.8 million project are to provide low-cast arsenic removal technologies developed by the PCRWR in the affected areas and conduct research for the identification of causes of arsenic in groundwater.

The other aims are to develop solutions and establish small-scale arsenic analysis labs in the affected areas and disseminate information among end-users by print and electronic media.

The official said the PCRWR had developed low-cast arsenic removal techniques and the project included implementation of technologies in the affected areas for provision of safe drinking water.

He said the impact of the project include safe water supply sources and added that arsenic-free water was a basic need to protect health of people living in the arsenic affected areas of Sindh and Punjab.

The official said people, particularly in rural areas, were accustomed to use of groundwater from tube-wells, hand-pumps, ponds and wells for long time without knowing the arsenic contamination.

Under the situation, then most important remedial step is identification of arsenic presence and prevention from further exposure by providing safe drinking water.

The cost to reduce arsenic in drinking water increases with the degree of concentration of arsenic in the water.

It may be mentioned that arsenic is the most recognised threat to drinking water quality in many countries.

Arsenic is introduced into water through the dissolution of minerals and ores and its concentration in groundwater in some areas is increased as a result of erosion from local rocks.—APP