Pakistan: environment ministry finalises drinking water standards

The Ministry of Environment has finalised the standards for drinking water as part of the National Action Plan to implement the National Drinking Water Policy [1] approved by the Federal Cabinet in September 2009. “Curtailing pollutants to a permissible limit is our top priority and we are focusing on it,” Director General Environment Javed Ali Khan said. He mentioned the installation of large-scale water treatment plants and small-scale point-of-use treatment systems for overhead tanks and piped water. “A continuous water testing mechanism will also be in place once the plan enters the implementation phase,” he said. According to a World Bank report [2], water and sanitation related diseases alone cost Pakistan Rs120 billion (US$ 1.4 billion = € 1 billion] annually in terms of death and illness.

[1] Pakistan. Ministry of Environment (2009). National drinking water policy. Download full report [PDF file]

[2] World Bank (2006). Pakistan : strategic country environmental assessment

Related news:

• Pakistan: diarrhoea and typhoid cost 1.8% of the GDP, Source Weekly, 26 Jun 2009
• Pakistan: umbrella programme on water, sanitation and hygiene planned, Source South Asia, 20 May 2009

Source: The News, 19 Nov 2009

Keywords

• East Asia & Pacific
• Policies & legislation
• Water quality
• Water supply - Water treatment
• Water-related diseases