62% aquifer water unsafe in Bahawalpur
Doctors link arsenic to increased kidney, lung diseases
BAHAWALPUR:
A water quality report prepared by the authorities has confirmed that 62% of underground water in Bahawalpur region is not potable because of heightened arsenic contamination.
The water analysis report prepared by Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources on the basis of 550 collected samples from Bahawalpur noted that only 38% water sources were found safe for drinking, while the rest contained arsenic levels above the prescribed limit.
Arsenic is one of the top 10 chemicals of major public health concern according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The organisation has warned that the semi-metal is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and infant mortality.