Water is basic a need and essential for human survival. Water is supplied through different sources: tube wells, hand pumps, wells, karezes and springs. Tube wells have by far become the major source of water supply through P.V.C pipes, which have advantages over iron pipes. Therefore, the Public Heath Engineering Department (P.H.E.D) is using this sort of piping for distribution of water in district Killa Abdullah. According to the estimates provided by P.H.E.D authorities, 41% of the total population has been provided with piped drinking water facilities. These facilities have been provided at 60 densely populated areas in the district. All the schemes run by P.H.E.D are piped schemes or tank schemes. In the case of piped schemes, the number of beneficiaries is 62,800 which is 56.13% of the total beneficiaries from PHED schemes (which have serveral sources of water, see 7.1.1). In the case of piped schemes water is supplied from the source to the houses in pipes. The other way of providing water is through tanks: In this case from the source of water supply, water is brought through pipe and stored in a tank and the members of community get water from these tanks. Women and children are primarily involved in fetching water.

Forty one percent of the total population in the district has access to potable water supplied by PHED while 59% of the population is getting water from other sources. Data on these sources cannot be supplied with a large degree of certainty.

Out of the 60 PHED water schemes, 21 have been handed over to the community. Nine schemes are non-functional and 30 schemes are run by PHED. The number of beneficiaries from other sources of water supply is:

Despite massive coverage by PHED people still fetch potable water from remote areas. Normally children and women are involved in this water fetching activity.

The following constraints have been pointed out by the community, in connection to PHED schemes:

1. Excessive billing: The bills, particularly the first bill comes after a very long time
2. Some of the beneficiaries were not prepared to pay their share in the utility bills
3. Sometimes the community as a whole refuses to pay. This is due to a lack of social responsibility and also due to the presence of certain vested interest within the community.

 The benefits of the watrer schemes are evident:

1. Better health due clean water. Hence there is prevention from certain epidemic diseases
2. Saving in time (reduced distance)
3. Convenient for women and children (who are responsible for fetching water).

The management of water supply in the district is the responsibility of PHED, except in Chaman town where the water supply is administered by the Municipal Committee. The consumers who wish to join the schemes have to be registered with PHED and have to pay the cost of connection from the main connection to their houses.

There have been many cases of illegal connections in the district. Women are not involved in the administration of drinking water.

Local government is not involved in the management of water supply, 35% of the 60 PHED schemes have been handed over to the community and the operation and maintenance is now their responsibility. In case of major faults, PHED is still responsible. The remaining 65% schemes are administered by PHED.

In district Killa Abdullah the quality of ground water varies from place to place. In most of the places where PHED supplies water, the water is of very good quality, whereas in Chaman bazaar and its surroundings the quality of water is also potable.

In other areas like Shadozai, Gulistan, - Mazai cross (that area of Gulistan which lies adjacent to Mazai cross), the quality of water is very poor (saline / brackish) and not potable.

There have been some studies indicating that there is potential for exploiting water in the district valley, but due to very low water table it will be very expensive to use that water in future. The underground potential needs to be charged and this could be done through the construction of delay action dams.

The prevailing hygienic conditions in the district are not satisfactory. There are a number of reasons for this. The only city (Chaman town) has grown without any planning, therefore it lacks a proper sewerage system. Due to lacking education and social and civic responsibilities, the general hygiene situation is poor. The facilities for toilet and drainage are quite inadequate. There is no data available to show the waste disposal method of the various households. However, it has been observed that a growing number of households in the towns have linked their flush system with septic tanks (mainly in Killa Abdullah and Chaman Town). The waste water from the houses is also disposed of through open drainage systems and then it moves outside the main town. The hygienic conditions are even worse in the rural areas of district Killa Abdullah. The streets are unpaved and have no drainage at all. Waste water remains stagnant outside the houses, creating breeding grounds for flies and mosquitoes, thus creating health hazards. PHED is not yet involved in sanitation. Local government, through the municipal committee and town committee is involved in the disposal of waste and in the provision of sanitation facilities.

 The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) was created in 1987. The main objective of this Department was to plan, implement and manage water supply schemes throughout Balochistan excluding Quetta City. Among other objectives it was planned to provide piped water in sufficient quantity to the households, for domestic use. It was also planned to improve the sewerage system and sanitary conditions. PHED is not yet involved in sanitation works in Killa Abdullah, though it intends to be in the near future. In the urban areas of the district, water supply is the responsibility of the Municipal Committee. However, where a Municipal Committee is not operational the task is performed by PHED. Similarly, in those towns where a Municipal Committee exist, the sanitation is administered by the employees of the Committee, whereas in small towns the task of sanitation is organized by the Union Council.

The organigramme of the Public Health Engineering Department is given below:

In water development, particularly in the coverage of water services, PHEd is actively involved. Federal government and NGOs have not been involved in sanitation or water development in this district. Private enterprises and international donors are involved to some extent in the above mentioned activities.

x minor involvement

xx substantial involvement

xxx major involvement