88% Karachi water is hazardous; Chlorine as remedy

Even after the alarming revelation by Water Commission under Justice Iqbal Kalhoro, that the potable water being supplied to Karachi contain particles of human waste, the citizens are left with no choice. Water is must for living and life on earth, how can be left out of human' basic needs, services and utilizations.   

On the orders of Supreme Court, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) collected samples from throughout Sindh, including all the six districts of the city i.e. Karachi Central, East, West, South, Korangi and Malir. The samples were tested for a detailed physiochemical and bacterial analysis, besides their results were compared with the World Health Organisation and the National Environmental Quality Standards on safe drinking water. And, its findings are devastatingly hazardous and dangerous for Karachi, where 88% water has been found unfit for human consuption.

The Commission report not only clearly states water being supplied to the city without sense of responsibility but also tells that clean drinking water is not available across the mega city. That ignited a  sense of insecurity in the city and citizens are worry while using water.

It is advised therefore people of Karachi must drink or use water now with considerable care.  Even if you drink water out of bottles, it is still not safe to wash yourself or brush your teeth with contaminated water. It can cause skin rash and allergic reactions because of microscopic parasites.

To cater this serious problem, citizens start use chlorine tablets. Although, boiling of water specially for drinking is must -- universally recommended -- but before that use of chlorine in water storage tank can sizably lessen the contamination in water. If one cannot get chlorine , just use ordinary commercial bleach which contains approximately 5% chlorine. For calculating the volume of chlorine use, keep it in mind that for every 1000 gallons, add 12 table spoons (180 ml) of ordinary bleach you use to disinfect in house. And, how one can calculate tank storage gallons, it is by multiplying Length x Width x Height of your tank to get cubic feet. I Cubic feet = 7.5 US Gallons.

There is no doubt that the shortage and quality of water in the city has been worsened due to illegal water hydrants, water theft, illegal connections and untamed constructions of high-rises. But most of the water supplied to Karachi have not been treated as out of 420 MGD just 50 MGD treated at the Pipri plant, 100 MGD at the North-East Karachi K-2 filter plant and 80 MGD at the Hub filter plant, whereas four filter plants at Gharo, Bil, Pipri and North-East Karachi with a capacity of 200 MGD could not treat water due to lack of maintenance. While chlorination to COD and Hub filter plants has reportedly been long stopped and ever since long and germ-infested water is being given to the people of Karachi.

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Editorial, Infocus