Safe drinking water is vital to sound human health and irrespective of the fact that people receive their drinking water from large municipal systems, smaller water treatment plants, or individual private systems, they need assurance of the safety and security of their drinking water.   The provision of sufficient and safe drinking water requires constant monitoring of the quantity as well as the quality of water resources.

Arsenic is the 20^th most common element in nature.  It is widely distributed throughout the earth’s crust and commonly found in the atmosphere, soils, rocks, organisms and in natural waters. Inorganic arsenic occurs naturally in rock and soil. As water makes its way through the ground, dissolved arsenic may travel with it into the groundwater. A lesser amount of arsenic is the result of mining, manufacturing, and past use of certain pesticides. Higher levels of arsenic are more often present in well water than in water drawn from lakes and rivers. Although a very high dose (60,000 micrograms) of arsenic can be lethal, the amount of arsenic in drinking water is very small and any health effects are the result of prolonged exposure over a period of years. This long-term low-level exposure to arsenic has been linked to cancer of the skin, bladder, and nervous system, along with possible circulatory problems.

Arsenic testing of groundwater is considered an important activity due to its serious effects on human health. Two South Asian countries, India and Bangladesh, are facing arsenic contamination in drinking water in many places. Considering the adverse effects of arsenic on human health, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has jointly carried out preliminary investigative studies for initial detection which led to detailed monitorings. Major programmes in this regard are as under:

1.      Northern Punjab Phase-I & II (1999-2000)

2.      National Survey for Arsenic (2001)

• 35 districts from all the four provinces monitored through an inter-organizational effort of UNICEF, LG&RD, PCSIR& PHED

3.      National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (2001-2006)

4.      Arsenic Mitigation Programme (2002-04)

• Southern Punjab (2002-2003)-Phase-I & II
• Central Sindh (2003-2004)-Phase-I & II

5      Activities Undertaken for the Provision of Arsenic Free water

1. Development and Promotion of Low cost Household Technologies

2. Development and installation of Safe Water Treatment Units in 130 problem locations

6   Activities undertaken for Mass awareness and sensitization the implementing Agencies

• Provincial Level Workshop in Lahore (2004)

• Provincial Level Workshop in Karachi (2004)

• Federal Level Workshop in Islamabad (2005)

• National Workshop on National Action Plan for Arsenic Mitigation (NAPAM–2005-2009)                

7      Publications/ Project Reports:

8      Activities in Progress

Arsenic Monitoring and Mitigation in Pakistan (2005-2008)