Lethal water

Not getting water is no longer the biggest crisis for Karachi residents. It is the fact that those – few, but not lucky – who do get the city’s water are likely putting their lives at significant risk. The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) began testing drinking water in the city’s water supply lines after two citizens died of a brain-eating amoeba infection last month. The results are damning. The KWSB’s own lab has declared the water supply in Karachi unfit for human consumption. The water is apparently rife with lethal bacteria, including E Coli and coliforms; there are also chemical impurities in the water. Most of the city’s water supply is directly mixed with the city’s sewerage. In any other country, the situation would be a scandal that makes headlines, and would result in the immediate declaration of a health emergency. In Pakistan, the story has barely caught any traction. It seems the residents of Karachi have accepted their grim fate – and that their next sip of water could easily land them in hospital.

The state of Karachi’s water supply is unacceptable. It should not require public outrage for authorities to act on this on an emergency basis. Moreover, the sources of the contamination need to be identified. It is not enough to know that the water is severely contaminated. One possibility is that the water is simply not chlorinated at the pumping stations, but it is more likely that there are multiple sources of contamination. The fact that even basic chlorination is not being taken care of is criminal. The results of the testing only impact the poorest citizens of Karachi. Those who ‘matter’ have already moved to using expensive bottled water. This means that any problems with the city’s water cleanliness do not affect the citizens who have the power to change things for the better. The Karachi mayor and the Sindh government would do well to make this issue a priority. One would hope that they recognise that they have the power to stop a public health crisis in Karachi if they act to clean up the city’s water supply now, rather than later. If they do not act, then why should they not bear responsibility for every death from the contaminated water supply in the city?