Pakistan: Arsenic-poisoned groundwater threatens 50 million people

Event

Arsenic that has leached into groundwater in Pakistan's Indus Valley threatens over 50 million people, far exceeding previous estimates, according to a study published in Science Advances on August 23. The study claims that the highest-risk areas for arsenic poisoning include the middle and southern stretches of the Indus River system, home to the cities of Lahore and Hyderabad. Many of the deeper wells in these areas exceed Pakistan's maximum arsenic concentration for safe drinking water - 50 micrograms per liter - which itself exceeds the World Health Organization's limit of 10 micrograms per liter. Arsenic contamination is also thought to be acute in the Pakistani government's Drinking Water Filtration sites - a health concern for the thousands of city-dwellers who rely on government supplies for clean water.

Context

An estimated 60-70 percent of Pakistan's population relies on wells to provide potable water. River systems throughout the South Asian subcontinent contain pockets of arsenic contamination, including the Ganges River region in India and Brahmaputra in Bangladesh. Arsenic contamination in groundwater resources has worsened in South Asia in recent decades as populations have been forced to rely on deeper aquifers where arsenic poisoning is more likely.

Chronic exposure to arsenic is linked to cancers of the liver, kidney, bladder, and skin, as well as heart disease. There is no known cure for arsenic poisoning.

More generally, access to clean water is an ongoing issue in Pakistan. Previous studies have shown that village wells contained water with pollutants and bacteria to levels that were unsafe to drink.

Advice

Individuals in Pakistan are advised to only drink bottled or purified water and avoid drinks with ice cubes. Do not consume food that cannot be thoroughly cooked, peeled, or disinfected.