SAHIWAL, July 29: Subsoil drinking water in Sahiwal district contains heavy proportion of sulphate and fluoride, according to the lab testing of water samples of different areas of the district.

The excessive presence of sulphate and fluoride cause hepatitis, teeth deformation in children, unhealthy bone development, stomach diseases, especially constipation, joints problems, drowsiness and fatigue. The amount of concentration in groundwater creates serious implications on vital organs of humans.

Prof Muhammad Ashraf from the Sahiwal Government College collected 140 samples from tap waters, hand and motor pumps, tube wells installed by municipal committees and two filtration plants.

These samples were sent to the water research laboratory, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources in Sahiwal.

The areas from where the samples were collected are: Farid Town, Tariq Bin Zayad Colony, Shadman Town, Madina Colony, Canal Colony, Fateh Sher Colony, Jinnah Chowk, Jehaz Ground, Yousafwala, Qadirabad, Bhutto Nagar, Mall Mandi Chowk, Pak Avenue, Pakpattan Chowk, Galla Mandi, Arifwala Chowk, Chak 86/9-L, Chak 84/5-L, Chak 90/9-L, Chak 70/5-L, Chak 47/5-L, Chak 86/6-R, Chak 58/4-R, Chak 80/5-R, Chak 79/5-R, Chak 132/9-L, Noor Shah, Jahan Khan, Burjwala, Chichawatni, Harrapa, Naiwala and Qutabshahana.

According to the World Health Organization, the normal range of fluoride, sulphate, total dissolvable salts (TDS) and hardness in drinking water must be 0.07ppm (parts per million), 250ppm, 1,000ppm and 500ppm.

Excessive salt concentration in water is dangerous for human consumption.

The above or below level of hardness disturbs stomach metabolism and increases acidity which in longer period can become fatal for human organs.

According to lab testing, some areas contained the highest level of sulfate and those areas are: Jahankhan (1,338ppm), Burjwala (1,153ppm), Chak No 78/5-R (1,049ppm), Chak No 48/5-L (617ppm), Chak No 78/5-L (630ppm), Chak No 80/5-R (853ppm), Ghala Mandi (820ppm), Canal Colony (653ppm), Chichawatni (790ppm) and Chak 80/5-R (853ppm).

Fluoride in Farid Town sample was 5.85ppm, Shadman 5, Tariq Bin Zayad Colony 4.65, Jinnah Chowk 6.75 and Kot Allah Din 572ppm.

The TDS in Farid Town was 2,374ppm, Jinnah Chowk 1,892, Canal Colony 2,180, Nishtar Town 2,189, Ghalla Mandi 1,892, Chak 78/5-R 2,358, Chak 44/5-L 1,797 and Chak 80/5-R 1,887ppm.

Samples collected from the three water filter plants installed by the previous government in the Sahiwal city also contained dangerous level of fluoride. The performance of the plants speaks volumes about the previous government’s Clean Drinking Water for All programme.

"Excessive salt in subsoil water also hampers the crop growth besides leaving negative impact on human health,” Dr Ishaq, district officer of the Soil Fertility Laboratory, said.

Health Executive District Officer Dr Siraj said his department had no plans to resolve the problem. He said the water contained excessive fluoride “but its' sub-soil water problem and we can’t do anything to counter it".

Muhammad Waseem, PCRWR research officer, said the water in urban areas was more contaminated than that of rural areas. He said people should use reserve osmosis plants for clean water.

Prof Ashraf said the provision of safe drinking water was basic right of every citizen. He said that according to the Pakistan Integrated Household Survey, 2002, a significant proportion of population, i.e. 86 per cent (with 94 per cent in urban and 80 per cent in rural areas), used water from taps, hand pumps and motor pumps.

"The findings show how unsafe is our drinking water," said Prof Ashraf.