ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) surprised senators on Tuesday when it claimed that water from Rawal Lake was safe for human consumption after treatment.

`The dosage of chlorine is so high at various levels of treatment that bacteria cannot survive,` PakEPA deputy director Ziaul Islam told the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change.

In areportpresentedby the PakEPA to the standing committee, the organisation said that water samples had been collected by the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa). It said that all parameters were found within the permissible limits after treatment.

While some committee members hesitantly accepted the claim, most including committee chairSenator Mir Mohammad Yousaf Badini expressed reservations.

The meeting was informed that the multipurpose dam has multiple owners. The lake itself sits on Capital Development Authority (CDA) land, is managed by the Small Dams Organisation, and its water is treated by Wasa before it is supplied to Rawalpindi residents.

The meeting was called to discuss whether water from the lake, which is the main source of drinking water for Rawalpindi residents, is detrimental to their health.

Dissatisfied with the Pak-EPA`s response, Badini pointed out that the same report states that prior to treatment, the water contains bacteria and is not drinkable.

Members listed numerous factors that contaminate the water reservoir, such as human and animal waste, runoff from poultry farms and cattle barns, soil contaminated by pesticides and fertilisers, industrial waste, microbesfrom dead animals, hazardous waste from storage and treatment facilities such as incinerators and solid waste landfills, recreational activities, deforestation and sewerage systems.

Deputy director Ziaul Islam said that contamination from such factors remains a problem.

`Concerned departments are not expressing interest in stopping the different kinds of waste flowing into the lake,` he said.

Senators Nuzhat Sadiq and Samina Abid pointed out that, despite a ban, motorboats are operated in the reservoir for recreational purposes, which releases oil into the water and increases turbidity in the lake.

`Paddle boats should also be banned. The lake should be reserved for drinking water purposes only,` PTI Senator Samina Abid said.

She did not accept the assertion that water in the lake was fit forhuman consumption after treatment.

Mr Islam, however, maintained that the water was fit for consumption after wasa`s treatment. He said that problems arose after the treated water was distributed for consumption.

`The underground sewerage and water pipelines are old and damaged. There are various spots where sewerage water seeps into broken, drinking water pipelines.

In order to fight waterborne diseases residents should take some responsibility and clean their underground or overhead tanks, which many households ignore,` he said.

Several participants of the meeting found contradictions in the claims made by the Pak-EPA official and the report`s assertions.

The committee chair has decided to invite CDA and Wasa officials to the next meeting to clear up the ensuing confusion.