The supply of fresh water is one of the major problems the district is faced with. The area lacks clean and safe water. Bolan district comes under the Public Health Engineering Department of Sibi Division, but it seems that there are no adequate records on the actual percentage of the population, which has access to safe and clean water.

The water supply management (schemes) is divided into the following divisions: Dhadar, Kot Khai, Shuran, Taib, Soori Bibi Nani, Mithri, Killi Bangulzai, Rind Ali, Lehri, Baktiarabad, Jalal Khan and Landhi. A number of small water supply schemes exist in the district. The water is supplied by tube-wells. There are around 28 tube-wells schemes, but some of them are not working. The water is stored in tanks. The total number of domestic connections in the district is approximately 1,200. The number of commercial connection is 14. The water supply becomes a problem when electricity is off for a longer period and the water level in the tanks drops. Each water scheme has a different "Water Supply in Gallons per day" capacity. The biggest one is Dhadar’s with 120,000 gallons.

The major part of the rural areas in Bolan district completely lacks any water supply system. Although a number of hand pumps have been installed, there is no reliable information at PHED about the actual functioning of these pumps. In these parts, water is fetched from streams and ponds. Fetching water is a women’s task. They are helped by their children. Some villages have a community tank, but these tanks do not work twenty-four hours a day.

The provision of drinking water is one of the major problems of the district, both in urban and rural areas. The situation of clean and safe drinking water is acute in far-flung rural areas. The population of these areas fetch water from open-surface stagnant water.

The drinking water supply administration primarily comes under the Public Health Engineering Department of Bolan district, which falls under the Executive Engineer Office at Sibi. A SDO is assisted by a supervisor, technicians, draftsman/valvemen and a number of operators. Previously, the Executive Engineer Office was located in Dhadar, now it has moved to Sibi. Little information is available about revenue collection by the Department.

According to the Irrigation Department, the ground water sub-sector - if explored - can boost both drinking water supply and irrigation potential in the district. The ground water potential is greatest in Sanni sub-division.

Sanitation has not been taken over by the Public Health Engineering Department as yet. Traditionally it comes under the district administration. The LGRDD is also involved in construction of latrines at household level, but actually it awaits World Bank support to start implementation. The World Bank wants the PHED to take over sanitation.

Public Health Engineering used to be part of the Irrigation Department, but has now become an independent department itself. At district level the Department is headed by a Sub-Divisional Officer at Dhadar. The Public Health Engineering Department is part of the Sibi Public Health Superintendent Engineering Office. The Executive Engineer post for the district has been moved from Dhadar to Sibi.

BRSP(*) is involved in some water scheme construction at Bhag, while the World Bank(**) is expected to get involved in the construction of latrines at household level.

Legend : - no involvement

x minor involvement

xx substantial involvement

xxx major involvement

Actual information about the accessibility to safe and clean water is not readily available. In reference to the lack of clean and safe drinking water the major development issues are operation and maintenance, i.e. management. Responsibility for operation and maintenance is not clearly defined.

Far off water resources make it a tedious task for women and children to fetch water. It is important that the sites of water tanks and taps are carefully selected. They should be easily accessible.