ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: An estimated 61% of the water sources were found unsafe for drinking mainly due to microbial contamination, revealed the National Water Quality Monitoring (2022-23) undertaken in 29 main Cities of the Country, the National Assembly was told.
Based on the number of samples collected, the Cities where more than 50% drinking water sources were found unsafe due to microbial or chemical contamination were; Bahawalpur (76%), Faisalabad (59%), Multan (94%), Sargodha (83%), Sheikhupura (60%), Abbottabad (55%), Khuzdar (55%), Loralai (59%), Quetta (65%), Hyderabad (80%), Karachi (93%), Sukkur (67%), Badin (92%), Mirpur Khas (100%), Tando Allahyar (57%), Shaheed Benazir Abad (100%), Muzaffarabad (70%), and Gilgit (100%).
The Minister for Water Resources Musadik Masood Malik told the House that the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) is mandated to undertake and promote research on all aspects of water resources.
Accordingly, the PCRWR is undertaking water quality monitoring across the Country since 2001.
The House was told that the findings and recommendations of country-wide monitoring undertaken by the PCRWR are regularly shared with all stakeholders Including provincial governments.
The PCRWR has also undertaken various Initiatives to enhance the technical capacity of water supply service providers such as Public Health Engineering Departments (PHED), Water and Sanitation Agencies (WASAs) and Town Municipal Administrations (TMAs).
Currently the PCRWR is implementing a capacity building program for the professionals of PHED to enhance water quality monitoring system in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The House was told that after the 18th amendment, the responsibility of provision of safe drinking water as well as improving the quality of water rests with the provinces. Thus, provincial governments can better provide the information on steps being taken in this regard.
 undertaken in 29 main Cities of the Country, the National Assembly was told.){kind=link}