After Air, Lahore’s Groundwater Also Turns Toxic

Water, the most basic necessity of life, has become a major concern for residents of Lahore. With the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) unable to meet the city’s growing demand, more and more people are turning to underground water sources. This shift, however, is creating new risks for public health.

Almost every household in Lahore now relies on boreholes to access water. As the city’s population grows and WASA’s supply falls short, residents are left with little choice but to drill deeper into the ground. Yet, this solution is proving to be both costly and dangerous. Boreholes often become blocked after a short period, forcing families to drill again, each time reaching further below the surface and spending more money.

A study from 2018 found that Lahore’s underground water level was at 130 feet. Today, that level has dropped to 164 feet, and experts warn it is sinking by an average of 2.61 feet every year. As the water table falls, the concentration of harmful substances in the water increases. Medical experts caution that the underground water in both Sindh and Punjab now falls well below the World Health Organization’s safety standards.

Doctors warn that using this water for drinking or cooking can lead to serious health problems, including various cancers, skin diseases, and diabetes. Many residents say the water from boreholes is only suitable for washing clothes or bathing. For drinking and cooking, they are forced to buy water from filtration plants.

However, even this solution is not foolproof. Most filtration plants in Lahore also rely on underground water, which they treat before selling to the public. If the underground reserves are depleted, it is unclear where these plants will source their water.

City officials point to Lahore’s rapid population growth and widespread construction as key reasons for the crisis. New buildings and paved surfaces prevent rainwater from seeping into the ground, making it harder to replenish underground reserves. As a result, the city, once nourished by the River Ravi, is now facing an increasingly severe water shortage.