ISLAMABAD: Minister for Science and Technology Rana Tanveer Hussain on Tuesday informed that a survey of 2807 villages of 24 districts revealed that 69% to 82% samples of water were found contaminated or unsafe for drinking purposes.
In a written reply to Senator Sherry Rehman question, he said, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) and R&D organization of Ministry of Science and Technology conducted various water quality monitoring projects in the country and found 69 percent to 82 percent samples of water contaminated or unsafe for drinking purposes.
He said major contamination was due to Bacteria (Coliforms & E.Coli), Toxic Metals (mainly Arsenic), Turbidity, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Nitrate and Fluoride.
He said the MoST has taken a number of measures for improvement of quality of water in the country, that include; letters written by Federal Minister for Science & Technology to Chief Ministers of all provinces, Gilgit Baltistan and Prime Minister AJK for adoption of measures towards provision of safe drinking water and assurance of every possible technical support/assistance by MoST.
Establishment of 24 water quality testing laboratories all over the country; development of microbiological testing kits at field and house hold level; development of low cost arsenic detection/ testing kit; development of 18 liter capacity safe drinking water filter for domestic use (for removal of arsenic, bacteria and turbidity), development of chlorination/disinfection tablets (for 20 liters, 250 & 500 gallons of water).
