Impact of Extreme Floods on Groundwater Quality (in Pakistan)

Study of long and short-term impact of hydro-meteorologically induced extreme flood on groundwater from well is a baby science, yet to grow and groom. This article focuses on the environmental impacts of the worst Pakistani floods on water quality of affected areas, Charsadda and Nowshera districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province which experienced a disastrous flood in its record due to torrential monsoon rains in late July 2010. For this purpose, consuming water products from 10 main sources (tube wells), 10 intermediate points in water supply distribution system and 10 consumers’ ends in 30 selected sites of flood affected areas were collected and analyzed for 12 key factors. Most of the parameters with respect to the standard limits of WHO guidelines indicated contamination in all samples that are directly available from tube wells as well as the one supplied through damaged pipe distribution system. This result becomes more fatal in the presence of microbial contamination and makes water risky for domestic consumption. A concrete policy addressing post-flood environmental effects on life and human health should be devised and strictly followed. Individual cases must be assessed from a basin-wide perspective in order to make sure that environmental concerns are judiciously and properly represented in flood planning and risk management decisions.