KARACHI, July 2: As part of its surface water quality monitoring programme, the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency has started collecting samples from different parts of the province for detailed analysis.

Official sources said the project, which will be completed within a period of four months at a cost of Rs0.8 million, had been initiated by the EPA to acquire knowledge on water quality status of River Indus, irrigation canals and some important wetlands of the province.

It was learnt that the EPA was supposed to have extensive and regular monitoring of surface water quality, but it could not do so due to paucity of fund. Now, with a funding from the National Drainage Programme, Sindh, a pilot project has been launched with the objectives to establish a water quality-monitoring programme and to establish an initial baseline for the assessment of future trend.

The other objectives of the project include determination of present level of water pollution, evaluation of current status of water quality and present water uses, besides development of a long-term water monitoring programme.

A SEPA official said that anticipating the greater impact of pollution load on the water bodies of the province, the agency had conceived a study to monitor the quality of water of some selected surface water bodies.

Under the pilot project, water samples would be collected at 31 locations, including barrages, NDP drains, Indus River, major wetlands and other critical places.

It is likely that a report, comprising findings of the pilot project, will be finalized within four months, the official added.