Several Filtration Plants in Rawalpindi Supply Muddy Water

Water filtration plants in different areas of Rawalpindi are distributing murky and possibly unsafe drinking water due to authorities neglecting to replace their filters over a long period. Residents have consistently complained about the declining water quality, yet authorities have yet to implement necessary measures. This situation has sparked worries that facilities meant to deliver clean drinking water might instead put residents at risk of waterborne illnesses.

Reports from residents in Union Council 46, Naya Mohalla, Sadiqabad, Dhoke Ilahi Bakhsh, and Dhoke Hasu reveal that the plants were delivering water mixed with soil. Plant operators cited financial constraints as the reason for the delay in filter replacements, stating that they had been unable to do so for an extended duration.

They attributed the worsening water quality to the overdue filter replacements. Operators also mentioned that falling groundwater levels at the tube-wells supplying the filtration plants had contributed to the problem. The Municipal Corporation, WASA, and District Council had installed numerous tube-wells in Rawalpindi before 2000.

Groundwater levels had remained relatively constant until 2000 but have dropped by more than 200 feet between 2001 and 2026, according to sources. The decline in groundwater levels has impacted the quality of water supplied by older tube-wells, and filtration plants connected to these wells have also faced challenges in providing clean water due to poor groundwater quality and the overdue filter replacements.