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Monday March 17, 2025

IFA inspects 39 water plants, shuts down 9 over contamination

By APP
March 17, 2025
People filling drinking water at a water filtration plant in Islamabad on March 16, 2025. —  APP
People filling drinking water at a water filtration plant in Islamabad on March 16, 2025. —  APP

Islamabad:The Islamabad Food Authority (IFA) has conducted inspection of over 39 water plants, in which 30 met safety standards, while nine were shut down for violating health guidelines.

Talking to this agency, Deputy Director of IFA, Dr Tahira Siddique said that the authority led by food safety teams (FSTs) are ramping up efforts to ensure safe drinking water for residents after recent tests revealed contamination in samples from nine water filtration plants.

The Islamabad Food Authority (IFA) has prioritized clean water access across the federal capital, launching rigorous testing of mineral and filtered water plants, she added. She revealed that the samples from the failed plants contained coliform bacteria and other harmful microorganisms. “Water contaminated with such pathogens directly threatens public health," she stated. Violations were also linked to poor maintenance: workers lacked mandatory medical certifications, and filtration systems were not replaced as required.