Water quality varies sharply across Pakistan: expert

Key Takeaways

• ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Sep, 2026) Water quality and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) levels vary dramatically across Paki
• Talking to APP, Director, National Water Quality Laboratory, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), Saiqa Imran, said that TDS prima
• “Higher salt content means a higher TDS level,” she said while talking to APP
• She said water in Islamabad generally had TDS levels ranging from around 300 to 600 milligrams per litre, while freshwater in Hunza could have a TDS l
• The situation was considerably different in parts of southern Punjab, where groundwater could contain much higher concentrations of dissolved salts

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Sep, 2026) Water quality and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) levels vary dramatically across Pakistan, with relatively low levels found in freshwater sources in mountainous regions and extremely high concentrations recorded in saline groundwater areas such as Cholistan, a water quality expert said.

Talking to APP, Director, National Water Quality Laboratory, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), Saiqa Imran, said that TDS primarily reflected the amount of dissolved salts and minerals present in water and differed according to the geographical location and source of water.

“Higher salt content means a higher TDS level,” she said while talking to APP.

She said water in Islamabad generally had TDS levels ranging from around 300 to 600 milligrams per litre, while freshwater in Hunza could have a TDS level of around 200 milligrams per litre.

The situation was considerably different in parts of southern Punjab, where groundwater could contain much higher concentrations of dissolved salts.

In Bahawalpur, groundwater could have high TDS levels, while in Cholistan, TDS could reach around 25,000 to 30,000 milligrams per litre, she said.

The expert said such regional variations demonstrated why water treatment requirements could not be determined simply by applying the same filtration approach everywhere.

She said the National Drinking Water Quality Standard allowed TDS up to 1,000 milligrams per litre for drinking water, while the standard for bottled water was 500 milligrams per litre.

However, she stressed that TDS was only one water quality parameter and did not establish overall drinking water safety.

Water having an acceptable TDS level could still contain arsenic, nitrate, fluoride, heavy metals or microbial contaminants, she said.

“Laboratory testing is necessary to determine whether these health-hazardous contaminants are present,” she added.

Saiqa Imran said PCRWR had conducted water quality monitoring in different parts of the country and had identified variations in the types of contamination prevalent in different regions.

She said testing should therefore be tailored to local conditions.

In Rawalpindi and Islamabad, nitrate could be an important parameter for groundwater testing, while arsenic and other contaminants warranted attention in areas such as Lahore, Kasur, Bahawalpur and Multan.

Similarly, she said fluoride and arsenic testing could be relevant in parts of Punjab and Sindh, depending on local water sources and known contamination patterns.

She explained that microbial contamination was a separate concern and could occur irrespective of TDS levels.

Bacteria and viruses could be controlled through appropriate disinfection methods such as chlorination, ultraviolet treatment and ozonation, while chemical contaminants required specific treatment technologies, she said.

The expert urged consumers to move beyond relying on a single TDS reading and obtain laboratory testing based on the water source and contamination risks of their area.

She said a location-specific approach to water testing and treatment could help consumers avoid both under-treatment of contaminated water and unnecessary installation of expensive filtration systems.

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