WASA supply contaminated with sewage. PHOTO: FILE
Though it might still be a few years before Pakistan face an acute water shortage, residents of numerous localities in Rawalpindi remain deprived of clean water as rusty, broken water pipes end are letting raw sewage contaminate mixed with clean drinking water.
A survey conducted by The Express Tribune on Tuesday revealed that the concerned authorities have not replaced the lines for over 15 years despite being aware of the situation.
“The water we are getting stinks and creates a yellowish lather when boiled due to the contaminants in it,” said Muhammad Khaqan, a resident of Dhok Chiraghdin, who further revealed that even the taste and colour of the water is different from the water they get in their village.
The water provided to residents of localities including Dhok Chiraghdin, Dhok Mangtal, Pirwadhai, Farooqia Mohalla, Fauji Colony, and Boring Road have the same attributes. The situation is even worse in areas near Nullah Leh and its arteries.
“Two of my children are suffering from Hepatitis B due to the contaminated water. Doctors suggested we either extensively boil the water or shift to mineral water,” said Hammad Azhar, a resident of Dhok Chiraghdin.
People also informed The Express Tribune that many a times, the issue has been brought to the knowledge of Water and Sanitation Authority (WASA) but so far, no action has been taken. They also complained that the watered, if stored, gets infested with worms within two to three third days.
“Look at the worms, I filled the can yesterday and it has already turned yellow,” said Muhammad Asif, a resident of Dhok Mangtal, while showing the water he stored in a can at his house.
When asked, Dr Ahmad Zeb of Holy Family Hospital said such water can cause serious skin diseases, hepatitis B and C, and even cancer due to a high amount of sulphur in it. He added that lab tests found a high amount of toxic chemicals in the water besides disease-causing germs, which led doctors to declare it unfit for drinking.
It was also learnt that WASA had disconnected water connections in various areas due to non-payment of bills and people there were getting water through illegal connections --- an action that leads to cracks in the main line. These cracks then result in the mixing of clean water and sewage, as most of the pipes in these areas run parallel.
“Most of the lines have been disconnected due to non-payment of bills, but the residents illegally installed their own pipes, due to which the main supply line has broken,” said a WASA official requesting anonymity.
He said all complaints are addressed immediately after identification, and the replacement of lines inside houses was the responsibility of the homeowner.
WASA Director General Raja Shaukat said the Punjab government had approved a Rs50 million gastro package under its Annual Development Programme, of which “we have spent Rs20 million on replacing pipes and other such projects”.
When asked about the localities in which the money was been spent, he said he had been removed by the interim government and did not know the details. However, he said, “WASA had made a further demand of Rs30 million to replace old and rusty pipes with new ones, which will be placed away from the sewage lines”.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 22nd, 2013.
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