Invisible poison in southern Punjab’s water raises alarm

Multan, Sep 13 (APP):Arsenic contamination in groundwater has emerged as a growing concern in parts of southern Punjab, particularly Layyah and Muzaffargarh, where tests have detected concentrations exceeding permissible limits in several areas, raising concerns over the health of communities dependent on untreated groundwater.

         The invisible contaminant poses a potential health risk to thousands of people who depend on hand pumps and tube wells for drinking and domestic needs, particularly in rural areas where access to safer alternative water sources remains limited.

         Describing arsenic as a “silent threat” and “slow poisoning,” water experts said prolonged exposure to contaminated water could have serious health consequences, making regular testing and effective filtration essential.

          Muzaffargarh district comprises three tehsils Muzaffargarh, Alipur and Jatoi with a population of 3,528,567.

      When the three tehsils are considered together with present-day Kot Addu, which was formerly a tehsil of Muzaffargarh, arsenic contamination in groundwater has been detected in around 20 to 25 percent of water samples tested over the past three years, said Muhammad Ghazanfar, Research Officer for Water Purification Management in Layyah and Muzaffargarh districts.

         He said arsenic concentrations in affected areas had reached around 80 to 100 micrograms per liter, describing the figures as a serious concern that could remain unnoticed by ordinary consumers.

         “Water containing arsenic may look perfectly normal,” Ghazanfar said, explaining that arsenic is colorless and odorless and cannot reliably be detected by looking at, smelling or tasting water.

  He stressed that regular laboratory testing was therefore essential, particularly for communities dependent on groundwater.

      In Layyah, arsenic contamination has been detected in different parts of the district, with contamination reported in up to 30 percent of tested water sources. The highest concentration recorded in some areas was around 120 parts per billion (ppb), Ghazanfar added.

       The level is particularly concerning when compared with the World Health Organisation’s guideline of 10 ppb for arsenic in drinking water. Pakistan’s permissible limit is 50 ppb, meaning water containing concentrations above these benchmarks requires appropriate testing, treatment and mitigation.

       Residents who depend on groundwater often have little means of identifying the danger.

      Aslam and his wife Bano, residents of Chowk Sarwar Shaheed, said they had always judged the safety of drinking water by its colour and taste.

    “If it looks clear, we assume it is safe,” they said, adding that they had never considered that apparently clean water could contain a harmful contaminant.

      Ghazanfar said arsenic occurred naturally in groundwater in many areas, while human activities, including industrial and agricultural development, could add pressure to already vulnerable water systems.

         He said long-term consumption of arsenic-contaminated water had been associated with serious health consequences, including skin damage and an increased risk of cancers affecting organs such as the liver and kidneys.

          The problem is particularly difficult for low-income households, which often cannot afford bottled or treated water on a daily basis.

        Shehbaz, a sanitary worker associated with the Suthra Punjab programme, described the dilemma, saying, “We cannot afford bottled water every day. We depend on the hand pump or tube well available near our homes.”

          The wider national picture shows that the problem is not confined to Layyah and Muzaffargarh.

        The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), which has conducted extensive arsenic monitoring, reported that a national assessment of 45,920 groundwater sources in Punjab and Sindh found 7,025 sources contaminated with arsenic.

        According to PCRWR, arsenic concentrations above the WHO guideline of 10 ppb put around 13 percent of the population at risk, while concentrations exceeding Pakistan’s permissible limit of 50 ppb affect an estimated three percent of the population.

          Earlier national investigations also highlighted the scale of the challenge. PCRWR reported that a survey of around 34,000 water sources in 61 districts found 15 percent of assessed sources in Punjab and Sindh unsafe because of excessive arsenic when measured against the WHO guideline.

        The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has also recognized arsenic contamination as a public-health and water-management challenge in Pakistan. Through its Small Grants Programme, UNDP has supported initiatives involving arsenic-removal technologies and community-level approaches.

           A UNDP project in Pakistan specifically highlighted the need to address arsenic contamination at community and household levels, noting that testing a single water source may not adequately reflect the situation across an entire village.

          UNDP and UNICEF had also collaborated on an earlier programme in Pakistan focusing on water, environment and sanitation in Sindh and Punjab, including arsenic removal from drinking-water supplies at schools. The initiative envisaged the installation of hundreds of arsenic-removal treatment plants.

          The challenge, therefore, is not merely to identify contaminated water but also to ensure safe alternatives are available to communities with limited choices.

       Ghazanfar said the Punjab government had taken the issue seriously and was working on a province-wide approach under which water purification plants would be installed in districts to provide safer drinking water.

       In Muzaffargarh, around 75 water-filtration plants are already functioning, particularly in areas where groundwater contamination has been identified, he added.

    Although some locations are still awaiting the installation of filtration facilities, the expansion of such infrastructure represents an important step towards reducing dependence on untreated groundwater.

       Water authorities also emphasize the importance of continuous monitoring, as groundwater quality can vary considerably from one locality to another.

              For Layyah and Muzaffargarh, the fight against arsenic contamination is therefore not without solutions. The danger may be invisible, but vigilance, protection and awareness through regular testing, effective filtration, informed communities and sustained monitoring can help reduce exposure and protect public health.