Daily Times

KARACHI: A document prepared for legislation on sub-soil water usage has been lying with Jam Khan Shoro, provincial minister and chairman of the KWSB, since nine months, Daily Times has learnt.

The civic entity had sent the document to frame a comprehensive law for use of sub-soil water and to avert declining water table and avoid heath hazards.

KWSB managing director Khalid Mehmood Sheikh says that a note has been forwarded to the minister to take a decision on the document so that the legislative process can proceed further.

“Let us obtain the order from the chairman and once the decision has been taken, appropriate directive will be issued by the commission.”

Around 30 hydrants operating in Karachi are using sub-soil water and running Reverse Osmosis plants, despite a ban on such activity by the Supreme Court.

The document pending a decision with the minister was prepared to control unlawful boring and installation of RO plants using sub-soil water as well as illegal use of sub-soil water by hydrants. Legislation would have paved the way for bringing the activity into the tax net as well.

The draft also covers the issue of water metering. Once legislated, it will enable the civic entity to install a credible metering system at all RO plants to verify their respective production and supply. Currently RO plants are not being maintained as per World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.

Concerns have also been raised about the need for installing water meters at offices of government departments and institutions to increase revenue of the civic entity under legal framework. Water meters have been set up at private concerns like shopping malls, private hospitals, hotels, restaurants, and industries.

Meanwhile, use of polluted subsoil water is causing outbreak of several waterborne diseases such as hepatitis-C, and skin ailements.

The KWSB maintains nine official hydrants which are managed by Sindh Rangers. The officially sanctioned quantity of water is 13.75 mgd, of which 3.42 mgd meets the quota for water-deficient areas, while the rest is sold on official rates.

Shakeel Qureshi, the hydrant incharge, informs Daily Times that around 42 licenses of hydrants using sub soil water have been cancelled. After legislation, legal hydrant business would lessen pressure on supplies of sweet water hydrant service, he adds.

In order to verify the quality of drinking water being supplied, RO water samples were examined recently in Malir, Central, West, South, East, and Korangi districts. Analytical data compiled by the WHO and NEQS water quality standards demonstrated that out of 84 drinking water samples, eight (10%) were unsafe for drinking due to the presence of turbidity values beyond safe limits (5NTU). The maximum value for turbidity was measured at 24.4 NTU. One sample (1.2%) was found unfit for drinking due to presence of colour and nine (11%) were found unsafe due to the presence of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) contents beyond permissible limit (1000mg/l). Maximum concentration for TDS was recorded at 3,846 mg/l. Seven water samples (8%) were found unsafe due to the presence of hardness values beyond WHO permissible limit (500mg/l). The highest value for hardness was measured at 1,100 mg/l, whereas 30mg/l was the lowest value. Eleven water samples (13%) were found unfit for human consumption due to presence of sodium content beyond the maximum permissible limit (200mg/l) recommended by WHO for human consumption. The highest value for sodium was measured at 835mg/l. Seven samples (8%) were found unfit for human consumption due to the presence of sulfate content beyond safe limit, recommended by the WHO (250mg/l). The highest value for sulfate was measured 440mg/l. Eight water samples (10%) were found unfit for human consumption due to presence of chloride ion concentration beyond maximum permissible limit (250mg/l) recommended by WHO for human consumption. The highest value for chloride was measured at 1483mg/l.

Illegal use of sub-soil water has been reported from Baldia, SITE, Manghopir and Super Highway and National Highway areas.

Published in Daily Times, April 16^th 2018.