Access to safe drinking water is inadequate in Pakistan. Public health authorities have not been able to reduce the frequency of waterborne diseases resulting from microbial infection. Empirical evidence shows that the percentage of people with sustainable access to quality drinking water is barely 25%. According to the Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources (PCRWR), water related diseases account for 40% of all reported illnesses. Further it is projected that in Pakistan diarrheal diseases alone cause the death of 200,000 children each year costing the country Rs. 55 to 84 billion annually.

It is noted that 600 rural and urban poor suffer from different ailments and water related diseases daily due to the use of contaminated water coupled with the fact that generally, drinking water quality is deteriorating persistently as a result of biological contamination i.e. human waste. Chemical pollutants from industries and agricultural inputs further exacerbate the problem of water contamination. Pakistan operates centralized distribution system for drinking water through pipes and the drainage system (sewerage lines) which lie very close to each other hence any damage to one will affect the other. Open drains in close vicinity of the drinking water pipelines also result in contamination of water and cause many serious water borne diseases.

This paper examines this menace and the use of Household Water Treatment technology as a remedy. The study notes that Household Water Treatments (HWTs) has been effective in providing clean and safe water at the point-of-use and helps to remove contaminants during distribution, collection and storage of drinking water. They are cost effective, environmentally friendly and reduce incidences of water borne diseases by about 39%.

 In order to maximise the benefits of the HWTs the paper recommends that:

Public awareness on drinking water contamination;
Provision of a variety of tested HWTs;
Cooperation between the Ministry of environment (MoE) and Ministry of Health (MoH)
Public awareness on HWTs;
Research funding on new HWTs by the Ministries of Environment (MoE) and Health (MoH);
Engagement of beneficiaries friendly media for awareness campaigns on hygiene;
Encouragement of Public Private Partnerships (PPP); and
The use of educational institutions for information dissemination.