A GASTROENTERITIS outbreak in a village located in Karachi`s Malir area underscores the major hazards dirty water poses to public health. As reported, over 300 diarrhoea cases have emerged in Sheedi Goth since late June, with one fatality. Local health officials say contaminated water is to blame for the outbreak, and that cases usually spike during summer. Water samples collected from the area had shown traces of E. coli and Vibrio cholera. Though international observers say Pakistan has made progress in improving sanitation conditions, there remain significant gaps in the provision of clean water and proper sanitation services. For example, Unicef estimates that around 70pc of households in this country may be drinking contaminated water, while some 53,000 children under five die every year from diarrhoea caused by dirty water and unsatisfactory sanitation. In big cities like Karachi, the problem is twofold: there is not enough water to go around the megacity only gets around half of its requirement while the water that is supplied may not be fit for drinking unless it is filtered or boiled. In worse scenarios, such as the recent outbreak in Malir, potable water may be mixed with sewage, creating a health disaster.

Universally, water, sanitation and hygiene are linked by experts in one cluster, and planners need to focus on delivering all three of these in order to protect public health and reduce the dangers posed by waterborne diseases. While such diseases took a high toll in the af termath of last year`s monsoon floods, even in more `normal` times the population is susceptible to illnesses linked to dirty water and inadequate sanitation. The solution lies in supplying clean potable water to all communities, and ensuring that sewage and waste is properly disposed of.

Moreover, communities need to be sensitised about the link between sanitation and good health, particularly handwashing.

Such a combination of interventions could help bring down the disease burden considerably.