Focus on drinking water pollution

Lahore: Almost 60 per cent of drinking water used in Lahore is contaminated primarily by seepage from the sewers, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has claimed.

Talking to newsmen in Lahore, WWF's Fresh Water Programme director Hammad Naqi Khan said tests on water samples show that when Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) tube wells draw the water, it is fit for consumption but it becomes contaminated on its way through supply pipes due to seepage from the sewerage lines.

He said two factors are responsible for the contamination. Firstly, the sewerage pipelines and, secondly, projects like housing colonies that are being planned without preparing an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

He said the EIA was essential to bring to light the impact of the project on the environment.

"The sewerage system of Lahore is an outdated one. When more colonies and developmental projects are launched without conducting an EIA, they impact the environment," he said and added that the water table had been depressed in the city due to the excessive use of water.

The WASA is now installing tube wells at a depth of 600 to 700 feet. Speaking on the occasion, WASA managing director Pervaiz Iftikhar said, "Water in most parts of Lahore is fit for drinking."

However, in some cases, the water gets contaminated when the sewerage lines cross a water supply line.

Another factor causing contamination is that some people use galvanised pipes with a life of almost 10 years.