A child drinks tap water. PHOTO: REUTERS
PESHAWAR:
As Peshawar grapples with a worsening water and sanitation emergency, tests revealed that 84 percent of the city’s water supply was contaminated, and experts warned that the crisis was fueling the spread of polio and other water-borne diseases in the provincial capital.
According to a UNICEF survey, nearly 400,000 people in Peshawar are still deprived of basic sanitation facilities.
Additionally, health experts warn that unsafe drinking water, open defecation and inadequate sanitation are directly behind the increase in diarrhea, polio and other preventable diseases.
The crisis has been made worse by rapid population growth. Peshawar’s population has surpassed 2.4 million, with an annual growth rate of 2.86 percent, putting immense pressure on already fragile water and sanitation systems.
According to UNICEF data, around 80 percent of the city’s water sources are contaminated, leaving only 20 percent safe to drink. At the same time, groundwater levels are falling at an alarming rate.
According to the KP Mouza Census 2020, the average water table has fallen to 188 feet, posing a serious threat to long-term sustainability.
While the survey shows that water availability is considered adequate in 79.6 percent of areas and 83.4 percent of households have access to water, experts stress that quality, not quantity, is the central issue.
Widespread E. coli contamination was detected, affecting 13.6 percent of water sources.
The contamination rate stands at 12.9 percent in rural areas but rises sharply to a dangerous 17.5 percent in urban locations. Only 13.6 percent of water samples were found to be free of E. coli.
Chemical contamination
Likewise, chemical contamination has further aggravated the situation. The report found nitrate contamination in 13.8 percent of samples, fluoride in 1.2 percent, iron in 3.3 percent and water hardness (calcium carbonate) in 14.6 percent – all of which can cause serious health problems with prolonged consumption.
Sanitary conditions are also worrying. The survey found that 9.5 percent of Peshawar’s population, or around 400,000 people, still do not have access to toilets. The report said open defecation and poor hygiene practices play a major role in the spread of polio and other water-borne diseases.
Overloaded city
Environmental expert Haseeb Khan said Peshawar was an “overburdened city”, adding that the influx of population from conflict-affected districts had worsened existing problems. He identified poor governance as the root cause. “Lawmakers are more focused on politics and protests than public welfare,” he said.
He pointed out that the city still does not have a complete sewerage system. “At the time of the master plan, only Hayatabad and Warsak Road had sewerage networks, and no effective expansion has taken place since,” he said.
