RAWALPINDI, Nov 28: Subsoil water in areas close by Nullah Leh has been found to be heavily contaminated with microbes, rendering it unfit for human consumption, separate studies by the district health department and Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) showed.
A source told this reporter on Friday that a study was commissioned on the direction of the district government, which showed that all samples of water collected from open wells, both private and those managed by the Wasa, were contaminated with coliforms.
This situation has arisen due to seepage of the contaminated water from the Nullah Leh course into the subsoil. As Leh passes through the residential areas of the city, it continues receiving domestic sewage. However, the biggest contribution comes from Islamabad where millions of gallons of untreated sewage is passed into the Nullah. A significant portion of this sewage seeps into the underground water.
Professor of Pathology at Rawalpindi Medical College Dr Abbass Hayat said the presence of coliforms had confirmed that the problem was result of the untreated sewage flowing into the Nullah. The E. Coli, he said, were characteristically present in the faeces.
Dr Hayat said this problem was present throughout Rawalpindi due to mixing of sewerage with water. He said some recent tests had shown that the E. Coli were developing resistance to the drugs.
A separate study conducted recently in collaboration with the Unicef had also shown similar results. The report had revealed that the underground water of the city was not safe. Seven of the eleven ground water samples in that instance were declared unfit.
A health official, quoting another study, said the subsoil water in the localities close by Leh had a very low dissolved oxygen and high conductivity values.
A National University of Science and Technology (Nust) study had also shown heavy presence of nitrates, chlorides, sulphates and microbes in the sub-soil water in these areas.
District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Shoaib Khan said due to contamination of subsoil water, diseases like enterric fever, gastroenteritis, Hepatitis A and E were very common in the areas close by Leh.