More than 70 percent Multanites are consuming water with high level of arsenic and more than 45,000 people were hospitalised in a year after taking polluted and un-hygienic water.
The consumption of water with high level of arsenic and polluted water has caused the people to suffer from various diseases including hepatitis, gastro-enteritis, cancer, and abdominal diseases. Hospital reports revealed that 295 people have so far been died in a year due to waterborne diseases.
The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has found high levels of arsenic in the underground water resources of the Multan, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan districts in a recent test conducted by the lab.
Of the 521 samples collected from Multan district, 196 were found to contain arsenic levels higher than 10 parts-per-billion (ppb) but lower than 50 ppb. It is pertinent to mention here that according to the Environmental Protection Agency the maximum 10 ppb concentration of arsenic allowed in drinking water.
However, seven samples from Multan city, three from Sadar, one from Shujaabad and four from Jalaalpur Pirwala were found containing arsenic concentrations higher than 50 ppb.
An Atomic Absorption Spectrometer at the PCRWR lab was used to ensure the accuracy of the test results. Of the 2,395 samples collected for testing, 543 villages in the three districts concerned had groundwater that contained arsenic at higher levels than those recommended by the World Health Organisation.
Sixty-seven of the samples had arsenic concentrations above 50 ppb.
Excessive concentrations of the element can cause various form of cancer and are linked to post-neonatal mortality, along with heart and kidney diseases and hypertension. Of the 758 samples of groundwater collected from Bahawalpur district, 20 had arsenic levels above 50 ppb. Similarly, 35 samples from Bahawalpur, nine from Hasilpur, six from Khairpur and 44 each from Ahmedpur East and Yazman were found to contain arsenic levels above 10 ppb, but below 50 ppb.
The PCRWR found 32 samples in Rahim Yar Khan district that contained arsenic levels above 50 ppb and 208 with levels greater than 10 ppb, but less than 50 ppb. The PCRWR report suggests that alternative sources of water should be used, or if an alternative source is not available, arsenic removal techniques developed by PCRWR should be employed.