Drinking Water Quality Status and Contamination in Pakistan

• Published in: BioMed research international Vol. 2017; no. 2017; pp. 1 - 18
• Main Authors: Murad, Waheed, Malook, Ijaz, Zhu, S. J., Chatha, Shahzad Ali Shahid, Arshad, Muhammad Umair, Shakoor, Muhammad Bilal, Bajwa, Raees Ahmad, Rizwan, Muhammad, Ali, Shafaqat, Nafees, Muhammad, Daud, M. K., Deeba, Farah
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Publishing Corporation 01.01.2017; Hindawi; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: Agrochemicals; Anthropogenic factors; Bacteria; Biotechnology; Chemicals; Contamination; Drinking water; Drinking Water - microbiology; Drinking Water - standards; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental science; Fertilizers; Fresh Water - microbiology; Freshwater resources; Genetically altered foods; Groundwater; Humans; Industrial effluents; Industrial wastewater; Microorganisms; Pakistan; Pesticides; Pesticides - isolation & purification; Pesticides - toxicity; Physicochemical properties; Pollution sources; Review; Risk assessment; Sanitation; Sewerage; Surface water; Wastewater disposal; Water Microbiology - standards; Water pollution; Water quality; Water Quality - standards; Water scarcity; Water shortages; Water supply; Water Supply - standards; China; Pakistan
• ISSN: 2314-6133; 2314-6141
• DOI: 10.1155/2017/7908183

Due to alarming increase in population and rapid industrialization, drinking water quality is being deteriorated day by day in Pakistan. This review sums up the outcomes of various research studies conducted for drinking water quality status of different areas of Pakistan by taking into account the physicochemical properties of drinking water as well as the presence of various pathogenic microorganisms. About 20% of the whole population of Pakistan has access to safe drinking water. The remaining 80% of population is forced to use unsafe drinking water due to the scarcity of safe and healthy drinking water sources. The primary source of contamination is sewerage (fecal) which is extensively discharged into drinking water system supplies. Secondary source of pollution is the disposal of toxic chemicals from industrial effluents, pesticides, and fertilizers from agriculture sources into the water bodies. Anthropogenic activities cause waterborne diseases that constitute about 80% of all diseases and are responsible for 33% of deaths. This review highlights the drinking water quality, contamination sources, sanitation situation, and effects of unsafe drinking water on humans. There is immediate need to take protective measures and treatment technologies to overcome unhygienic condition of drinking water supplies in different areas of Pakistan.