Water Resources in Pakistan

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Submitted To:
Mam Javeria
Submitted By:
Muhammad Hannan

Water Quality Testing and Treatment Technician

Course (Batch#3)
PCRWR
 Water Resources in Pakistan
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There are five main resources of water in Pakistan.

 Surface Water
 Ground Water
 Rain Water
 Sea Water
 Municipal Water
 Surface Water
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 It includes rivers, lakes, streams and ponds.

 These are dependent on rainfall rates that vary from

year to year.

 It is possible that surface water can be contaminated

with road salts, industrial and agriculture chemicals
and plant pathogens.

 Common contaminants are pathogens like bacteria,

viruses, turbidity organisms and algae growth etc.
 Ground Water
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 Drilled water is the source of groundwater.

 However, the water yield from drilled wells usually

limited.

 It is found in aquifers below the earth surface.

 When rainfall occurs some of evaporated, some of

remove by plant transpiration and the remaining
water filter down through the soil and flows down to
aquifer.
 Rain Water
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 it can be collected from green houses or buildings
roof without contacting the grounds in held in a
concrete fiber glass and polythene tanks.

 It has unique characteristics where no TDS, low pH

below 4 to 5 but needed to be treated like surface
water.

 Common contaminants are led, bacteria and

organics.
 Sea Water
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 It covers 71% of earth surface.

 Ocean holds 96.5% of all earth surface water.

 Common contaminants are salts like sodium

chloride, magnesium and sulphur.
 Municipal Water
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 It includes water supply by city, country or
municipality.

 Common contaminants are iron, sodium and other

heavy metals like led, arsenic, aluminum and
uranium.

 The cost and quality of water are typically high since

much of the water is for residential use and drinking
water and treated.
Sources of Ground Water Pollution
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Some of common sources of surface water pollution are:

 Waste Water
 Septic Systems
 Pesticides
 Arsenic
 Fuels
 Chemicals
 Radon
 Waste Water
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 Any type of used water is called wastewater.

 It can come from homes or businesses and includes

water from sinks, showers, toilets, and industrial
activities.

 It also includes storm water runoff, which is what

happens when rainfall carries road salts and
automotive chemicals from the road to the
waterways.
 Septic System
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 Septic systems are onsite wastewater disposal systems
commonly used by homes and offices.

 While properly built septic systems are designed to

drain human waste at a harmless rate, poor design,
location, maintenance, or construction can cause these
systems to leak pathogens, household chemicals, and
other contaminants into the surrounding area.

 This issue can be particularly problematic for people

who get their drinking water from nearby private
wells.
 Pesticides
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 Pesticides are chemicals applies to farmlands,
gardens and lawns that are meant to control pest
populations.

 However, these toxic chemicals can make their way

into groundwater systems through runoff.

 While not all pesticides pose a health hazard to

humans, some of them increase the risk of cancer
and reproductive problems and can injure the eyes,
liver and kidneys.
 Arsenic
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 Arsenic is a heavy metal that is commonly found in
the environment in rocks, soil and various plants.

 High levels of arsenic in water usually results from

human activity. For example, numerous industries
commonly use arsenic-based compounds and
pesticides, and mining operations and combusting
coal can release arsenic into the environment.

 Arsenic can cause respiratory problems and

cardiovascular disease and may be linked to diabetes
and various cancers.
 Fuels
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 Fuels are another source of contamination that can
get into groundwater.

 Fuels affect groundwater through air contamination.

When cars, ships, airplanes, coal-fired power plants
and industrial operations burn fossil fuels,
they release nitrogen oxides into the air which
contribute to the production of acid rain.

 The acid rain deposits these nitrogen oxides back

onto land, washing it into nearby water bodies and
into groundwater sources.
 Chemicals
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 Chemical contaminants come from a variety of
residential, agricultural and industrial sources.

 Aluminum, Chloramines, Lead, Mercury, Radium,

and Uranium are examples of common waterborne
chemical contaminants.

 Runoff from industrial and agricultural areas is one

of the most common ways that these chemicals get
into groundwater.
 Radon
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 Radon is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas that
comes from the natural radioactive breakdown of
uranium.

 Radon is often found in indoor air, released into the

home as uranium breaks down beneath it. However,
radon can also seep into the ground and accumulate
in groundwater.

 Drinking water contaminated with radon can also

negatively affect health. Lung and stomach cancer
caused by breathing radon.
Sources of Surface Water Pollution
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 Surface water is extremely susceptible to pollution
because it occupies such a large portion of the earth’s
surface. Surface water pollution is almost entirely the
result of human activities.

 Agriculture, mining, factory effluent, landfills,

human and animal waste and localized pollution
are just some of the most common sources of surface
water pollution..
 Point source pollution comes from an easily
identifiable source, like a factory or sewage
treatment plant. Point source pollution is discharged
through a pipeline, ditch, or any “discrete
conveyance” that directly or indirectly enters a body
of water.

 Non-point source pollution is much harder to

regulate because the source is not easily identifiable.
Agricultural and storm water runoff are the two
most common types of nonpoint source pollution.
Heavy rain events cause contaminants to runoff from
roads and fields, collecting debris and pollution as it
travels into a body of water.
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