Improving quality of drinking water needs more attention

Rawalpindi : The relevant authorities have taken various initiatives to improve the quality of drinking water but the issue needs more attention to resolve some common problems that are causing contamination in the piped water. 

According to a study, high urban growth, slow sector development, lack of resources and insufficient institutional capacity have resulted in uncontrolled urban sprawl, deteriorating environment and deficiencies in civic services including water supply, sewerage systems, drainage, solid waste management and community facilities. 

It said most of the distribution lines are passing through sewerage drains, which are causing contamination at consumer’s end. Many other factors responsible for contamination are non-existence of effective legislation on ground water extraction, contamination in filtration plants and poorly maintained chlorination.  

The report said main defects that are persistent since decades in water supply distribution networks include unhygienic conditions at reservoirs, leaky joints and pipes, cross flow between old and new pipe lines, backflow from house connections and wrong jointing material.