Senate body briefed that many filtration plants & tube wells water are unsafe for human health in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD, Sep 30 (SABAH): A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources, chaired by Senator Shahadat Awan, was held at Parliament House on Monday.

Senator Shahadat Awan expressed dissatisfaction with the clarity in the brief presented by the authorities to the Committee. During the briefing on groundwater depletion in Balochistan and the steps taken by the Ministry of Water Resources, he highlighted that no survey had been conducted since 2021. He emphasized that groundwater depletion is a critical issue, however the same have been overlooked.

He further asserted that had the survey been conducted after 2021, the situation might not have deteriorated to its current state. Citing the example of groundwater depletion in neighboring country Iran, Senator Awan stressed upon the need of avoiding similar crisis in Pakistan.

Additionally, he enquired about the availability of accurate data regarding the number of tube wells installed after 2015. He further explained that there is a discrepancy in the facts provided to the Committee, particularly concerning the number of dams.

He emphasized that the purpose of the Committee is to findout a solution to the problem and that can only be achieved if the accurate facts and figures are provided. He also stressed upon the issue of the use of solar panels in the province of Balochistan, that has led to increased water extraction and the meeting aims to identify the steps being taken to address this issue.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources commented that the lack of adherence to written directives has worsened the water situation in the province. The Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources also added that the Balochistan Irrigation Department has been requested to monitor water levels and provide the Ministry with their policy regarding dams.

He also noted that the water level in Quetta has dropped due to the installation of turbines and suggested regulating tubewell usage and enforcing laws in Quetta. He further added that the recommendations given to the Government of Balochistan have not been implemented.

The Secretary (Ministry of Water Resources) also remarked that there is no engineering solution to the issue, as groundwater levels are critically low, and the only way to mitigate the problem is to halt the installation of solar panels on tube wells. The Chairman Committee, urged the Balochistan Irrigation Department to commit to preventing the installation of any further tube wells in the province. He also advised the Ministry to collaborate and work together to resolve this matter and to share their correspondence with the Committee.

Furthermore, the Secretary, (Ministry of Water Resources) presented a survey conducted by PCRWR in June 2024 regarding emerging water quality problems in Islamabad. He reported that, of the 127 tube wells, 105 are safe and 22 are unsafe. Out of 108 water filtration plants, 69 are safe and 39 are unsafe. Regarding the 12 waterworks, 7 are safe and 5 are unsafe, and of the 41 rural water supply sources, 8 are safe and 33 are unsafe. He further noted that amongst  37 parameters tested for drinking water, two major contaminants namely; nitrates and microbial organisms were found.

The Chairman Committee, Senator Shahadat Awan while reviewing the presented survey, expressed concerns over the unsafe water supply since 2019 in the capital. He voiced dissatisfaction over such a situation in the federal capital, where the contamination of water is alarming. He urged the Secretary of Water Resources to consult with the CDA on this critical issue. Senator Awan also questioned why despite warnings from the Ministry, no action had been taken regarding the 22 unsafe tubewells in Islamabad.

He recommended that the CDA ought to conduct another test, particularly since officials from water management claim that 80% of the water situation in Islamabad has improved, yet this report, from June 2024, shows otherwise. He further requested the verification and analysis of water supply sources in Islamabad to ensure the accuracy of the data on water safety.

The meeting was attended by Senator Saadia Abbasi, Senator Khalil Tahir, Senator Poonjo Bheel, Senator Saeed Ahmed Hashmi, the Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources, the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources, senior officials from the Balochistan Irrigation Department, water management officials from the CDA, and other relevant department representatives.