RAWALPINDI, March 27: The civic bodies have no proper system to ensure supply of clean drinking water to the residents, it has been learnt.

The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa), which is responsible for supplying clean water to the residents of Rawalpindi Tehsil, does not have an adequate system to check whether the water it supplies is clean and fit for drinking.

The agency says its water is clean because it is filtered at Rawal Dam. Tubewell water is considered to be drinkable as it is drawn from a depth of about 400 feet, a level where contamination is not possible. Similarly, water supplied from Khanpur Dam is filtered at the main headworks at Sangjani and then supplied to different bodies, including the CDA, RCB and Wasa.

However, the residents of several localities had complained that they were receiving contaminated water. Sometimes, they said, the water stank and even changed its colour, causing various ailments. But, Wasa seldom tried to check the supply, they added.

The main reason why the residents were getting contaminated water was that almost the entire pipeline network of the civic body was obsolete, rusty and leaky. Drinking water was mixing with sewage at different places.

When contacted, the director of water supply, Wasa, Malik Akram, said whenever a complaint was received from an area, water samples were collected from there and sent for laboratory testing, mostly at the National Institute of Health, Chak Shehzad.

About tubewell water, he said it was clean because it was drawn from a depth of 400 feet. Similarly, water from Rawal Dam is filtered at the filtration plant installed at the lake. Apart from this, hypochlorination system has been installed at seven different places that filters water, he added.

About the old and leaky pipelines, the director said they had replaced it from some places. But, the entire network could not be changed at the same time due to resource constraint, he added.

The RCB director, water supply, Col Abdur Rehman (retired), said he himself conducted routine checking of the tubewells and

other supply lines of different localities. Besides, if any complaint is received, prompt action is taken to ensure that contamination is removed. If it is immediately not possible, people are informed not to use the water and alternative arrangements are made, he said.

He said, however, they did not have a regular testing system due to the heavy costs involved.