ISLAMABAD: The untreated water samples collected from Rawal lake by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and analysed at National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) were found to be unfit for human consumption due to the presence of dangerous bacteria detected in the samples.
Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), a research and development organisation working under the aegis of Ministry of Science and Technology, collected water samples from Rawal lake during the crisis raised by fish mortality there and analysed those samples in the NWQL.
After the tests were conducted on the samples, the water in Rawal lake was found unfit for human consumption due to turbidity and bacterial contamination. However, the water sample taken on the date after treatment by Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), was analysed at NWQL, and found fit for human consumption, an official of PCRWR informed reporters.
When contacted, PCRWR spokesperson said that water contamination had always been an issue in the area, which is why all water diverted for human utility was treated before distribution. The spokesperson said that solid waste, germs, bacteria and micro bacterial contamination were usually detected in the lake water.
The water is being treated properly through purification plants by removing all impurities and making it fit for consumption, before being distributed to the capital city, the spokesperson added.
However, the PCRWAR official said that there was a dire need to educate people regarding throwing solid waste in the streams, while adding that the water should be treated before letting it enter into the lake. She said that efforts were underway to clean the Rawal lake for the sake of the aquatic life thriving there, and securing the health of people from nearby communities who used the untreated water for daily household purposes.
