An Assessment of the Drinking Water Supply System in Islamabad, Pakistan

Presently, the provision of safe drinking water is becoming a big challenge all over the world. In developing countries like Pakistan, many technical, financial and policy-related issues are hindering clean drinking water supply to communities. This study evaluates the performance of the drinking water supply system in Islamabad, starting from the Khanpur Dam to the consumer end via the Sangjani water treatment plant (SG-WTP). For this purpose, different physicochemical and biological parameters of water quality were analyzed and compared at four different locations in the Islamabad water supply network (also called the Khanpur Dam water supply network) for a period of one year. Statistical analyses such as the <i>t</i>-test, principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were performed to observe the variations in water quality parameters at the four locations. The results illustrate that the water quality upstream of the SG-WTP is declining due to various anthropogenic activities adding a variety of organic and inorganic pollutants into the water channel coming from the Khanpur Dam to the Sangjani plant. The water quality at the consumer end is deteriorating mainly due to algal growth and cracks in the water distribution network. As far as the performance of the SG-WTP is concerned, it is currently in good working condition and treating most of the water pollution coming from the Khanpur Dam water. Proper repair, maintenance and regular monitoring are necessary for sustainable operation of the Islamabad water supply system.