Water Pakistan

Providing Pit Latrines in shallow water area of Sind

Endangering Human Lives by Contaminating Ground Water

Water, the basis of all life, human well-being and economic development, linking together, for better and for worse, all aspects of life on this planet, human and environmental health. Safe drinking water is basic human right as acknowledged globally. Poor water quality is the most important cause of poor livelihood and health. Pakistan attempt to raise the living standards of its citizens has meant that economic development has largely taken precedence over environment issues and taken many initiatives like CDWA for the provision of safe drinking water to the Pakistani people.

More recently, when monsoon rains hit and flooded Pakistan, water, at one point covered 20 percent of the country’s total land area. A flood of this magnitude impacts an entire generation. The scene of death and destruction in Pakistan almost paint a picture of a near apocalypse. Scattered dead bodies of humans and animals, destroyed homes reveal human beings powerless against the forces of nature, me being a student of environmental sciences decided to work for the betterment of poor communities and start working as volunteer with an organization for the provision of water and sanitation facilities in one of the worst affected area of south Sindh. I feel that we are putting our people on risk by making poorly designed pit latrines in areas where ground water level is high.

In areas such as Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Kandhkot, Kushmore, Shadadkot, Kamber …where many international and local NGO’s were working aimed at providing clean drinking water and

sanitation facilities to the flood affected population. In emergencies the humanitarian

organizations conventionally construct pit latrines for the provision of sanitation purpose. The

design of the Pit latrines are sketched keeping in view the parameters such as soil structure, average ground water level, depth of the Pit etc. The conventional pit latrines lack in performing the desired outcome where the ground water level is high. As the human waste infiltrates the ground water and thus contaminates the ground water.

Human waste may contains many types of pathogens that is viruses, protozoa’s and bacteria’s. The presence of these pathogens is potential threat to human health. On the contrary the implementing organizations are constructing these conventional Pit latrines and therefore contaminating ground water and these heart throbbing facts are being ignored by the responsible Government agencies and donors, who are responsible for the suffering of flood afeectees rather than facilitating them they are increasing risk to their health.

Some of the international organizations working in the area are pretending to serve the humanity but in truth they are poisoning the innocent lives by making poorly designed latrines with soakage pits where water table is high up to 4ft and the pit designed mostly of 6ft deep. What it means? We are mixing shit to our drinking water which endangers the lives of innocent people.

Where is our national drinking water policy? Where are international standards for latrine construction? Where are SPHER standards? Where are WHO guidelines? All standards & guidelines are being violated just to implement the activity and show the utilization of funds. Where is humanity being claming humanitarian organizations?

We are putting the nation on risk rather than helping the needy ones. In fact poorly designed pit latrines or latrine with soakage pit in water logged areas in Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan will bring miseries’ to innocent lives who are already struggling through after effects of floods. I being Pakistani citizen want to know who is responsible for all the above mentioned problems? Who is taking the responsibility for contaminating our drinking water today which will ultimately suffer our next generations for years and our dream of having safe drinking water will not become true.

I request to all WASH experts and relevant government agencies to stop the construction of pit latrines in water logged areas and think about well designed latrines to ensure that water will not contaminate. Please step forward to save water and our coming generations.

Regards,

A worried Son of Pakistan