THE scarcity of potable water is a long-standing issue in the country. Yet, dirty and contaminated water, particularly in the urban areas, has become a problem. The shortage of reasonably clean water that can be used for general purposes is yet another item that has been added to the already extensive list of people's grievances. In Lahore, it is an issue that has become acute enough to bring people into the streets. A photograph published in this newspaper yesterday showed traders from Shahalam market protesting against loadshedding and the unavailability of clean water in their area. Holding up kerosene lanterns, they also display clear plastic bottles filled with water with which they must make do: mud-coloured and cloudy, looking more like a sample from a pond than from the pipelines of a major commercial area in one of the country's largest cities.

Lahore has always been a city where water was considered a plentiful resource, particularly because of its proximity to the Ravi and the presence of the canal that runs through the city. Traditionally, the water in Lahore was considered 'sweet' rather than the brackish variety found in the southern parts of the country. In recent years, however, the river has dried up and been contaminated by, amongst other things, sewage and garbage. Meanwhile, in many parts of the city, particularly the older areas, an aging pipeline system has further aggravated the situation with lead and rust contaminating the water. This is a problem in other cities too. Studies conducted on the tap water available in Karachi, for example, found that in many areas it is contaminated with sewage. It is vital that city governments turn their attention to this issue. Infrastructure such as water networks requires investment, continual upgrading and maintenance. Without that, it will of necessity crumble.