Provision of clean drinking
water for the most vulnerable and marginalized population
Water is a basic need of life. It must be pure, Portable, wholesome and safe for
human consumption. The water should meet the drinking water quality standard and
parameter recommended by World Health Organization and or Pakistan Drinking
Water Quality Standard with regard to its physical, chemical, bacteriological,
and biological quality of water. According to standards safe drinking water must
have 0 coliform per 100 ml, Arsenic less than 50 ppb and having required
minerals and salt. It is the core responsibility of water services provider to
provide and maintain safe drinking water. According to National drinking water
Policy All people have access to safe and sufficient quantity and quality of
drinking water.
Public water points are sufficiently close to households to enable use of the
minimum water requirement. The quantities of water needed for domestic use is
context based, and may vary according to the climate, the sanitation, facilities
available, people’s habits, their religious and cultural practices, the food
they cook, the clothes they wear, and so on. Water consumption generally
increases the nearer the water source is to the dwelling.
According to sphere standard 2011 minimum need of water for a person per day is
15 litres as 2.5-3 litres per day for survival needs- water intake (drinking and
food), 2-6 litres per day for basic hygiene practices and 3-6 litres per day for
cooking needs. Similarly maximum 250 individual per water tap based on flow of
7.5 lpm per tap, 500 individual per hand pump based on 16.5 lpm per hand pump,
average distance from any shelter to water source should not be far than 500
meters. But all these depend on climate, individual physiology, social and
cultural norms and food type as well. In extreme situations, there may not be
sufficient water available to meet basic needs and in these cases supplying a
survival level of safe drinking water is of critical importance. In most cases,
the main health problems are caused by poor hygiene due to insufficient water
and by the consumption of contaminated water.
In District DI Khan water quality has been a question mark. Water sources at
different stratum are exposed to Arsenic contamination as river Indus is
suspected the main cause for contamination. According to assessment conducted by
Aman, the data shows that the situation is more alarming in post flood scenario.
The Union Councils: Choudhwan and Daraban of Tehsil Kulachi, District DI khan
are composed on 61050 populations, 97 villages and 7718 households. Aman
conducted a rapid assessment of all the 85 villages and hamlets to find out the
most vulnerable population where the flood has been washed away the water
sources and population has no access to safe drinking water. 97 villages
comprised on 19775 population(4578 women,4766 men,3538 girls (5-18 years) , 3678
boys (5-18 years), 1578 <5 years girls and 1637 <5 years boys )do not have
access to safe drinking water according to meet the sphere standard water supply
needed for survival and other human needs. Water supply schemes like hand pumps,
dug well, etc have been damages and the water has been exposed to contamination.
The impact of such an alarming situation was observed in shape of Water born and
water related diseases as they were common due to insufficient supply and miss
management of supply. The most vulnerable population women, children and elderly
are suffering much due to hard terrain, difficult access due to purdha system,
mobility, poverty and lack of awareness. The target area is at high risk and the
vulnerable population is in intense need of proper water supply to fight against
mortality and morbidity in the area.