The supply of potable water is one of the major issues of the area. The main sources of water are springs, karezes, wells and tube wells. The water supply schemes and hand pumps cover only 42% of the housing units. According to the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), through 35 water supply schemes 8,700 house connections have been provided in the area. The Local Government and Rural Development Department (LGRDD) are also assisting the local with the population in the installation of community hand pumps on a self-help basis. So far 150 hand pumps have been installed. The hand pumps are provided by the LGRDD, while their installation and maintenance are the responsibility of the community.

The number of beneficiaries of PHED schemes is reported to be 126,715 (40%of the population). The number of people benefiting from community hand pumps is reported to be 6,336 (2%). The remaining 58% of the population somehow manages to obtain water from open wells (about 2,000 are present) and other sources.

In remote areas of the district, women and children fetch water for their families. They spend most of their time on it. The nomadic families face even greater problems in fetching water. The water used by 58% of the population is usually contaminated and as such is not hygienic. This causes waterborne diseases among the users.

The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) and LG&RDD are involved in the supply of water. Thirty-five water supply schemes are operating in the district. The normal procedure is that PHED staff carries out a survey of the area concerned and develops a feasibility report. After approval of the scheme by higher authorities, the department launches the scheme. For new schemes the maintenance and operation is the responsibility of the community. Unfortunately this policy is not as yet so successful due to lack of awareness among the population about conditions for potable water and the costs of operation and maintenance.

In Kalat district, the situation about groundwater is satisfactory. The quality of the water is good. But it is still unexplored in many areas of the district. Deep drilling is, however, required to obtain potable water. WAPDA is assisting in the exploration of ground water for irrigation and drinking purposes.

According to the hydro-geological experts of WAPDA and other agencies there is enough groundwater in the district. There are several areas in the district which still remain to be explored. At present 2,271 tube wells, 60 wells, 35 water supply schemes, 150 hand pumps and 2,400 karezes, springs and others are used in the district. The PHED is carrying out work on 11 schemes for obtaining drinking water. Many more tube wells are needed in the area to meet the requirements of water for agricultural and domestic use.

The various sources of water have different qualities. Water from karezes is considered better than the surface water, except where the karezes have become exposed to contamination. Water from surface wells is of poor quality, while water from ponds is simply not good for human beings from a health point of view, unless it is treated chemically. Water obtained from the water supply schemes, tubewells and community hand pumps is of adequate quality and safe. But this water is available only to 42% of the total population.

The sanitation in the area is not satisfactory. Poor sanitary conditions are causing poor health and diseases such as malaria, dysentery and diarrhoea.

No sewerage system exists in any part of the district. Generally people have a dry-pit and septic tank system in their houses. In the rural areas more then 60 percent of the houses have no separate space for defecation inside the house, forcing people to go outside in the fields or open ground. However, LG&RDD have recently started a project to assist the local population in the construction of low-cost pour flush and ventilation improved pit latrines (VIP) latrines in their houses.

The solid waste management system is in the hands of Town Committees in the urban areas and in the hands of Union Councils in the rural areas. It has been observed that due to lack of staff and funds, Town Committees and Union Councils are not performing their responsibilities properly. People dump their garbage on the corner of the street. This garbage pollutes the environment.

PHED in Kalat district consists of 130 persons headed by the Executive Engineer at district level who is assisted by two SDOs (supervisors) and other technical and non-technical staff of the department.

In the past the Irrigation Department was responsible for executing, operation and maintenance of drinking water supply schemes in the province. For the last 9 years PHED is solely interested with providing potable water to the local population through its various schemes. Apart from that, the Department also provides facilities for sewerage and for disposal of solid waste.

In the past water supply and its management used to be the full responsibility of PHED. Nowadays after launching a scheme, the Department hands it over to the community or Union Council for operation and maintenance. Similarly LGRDD hands over the community hand pumps to the community. LGRDD involves the community from the planning stage up to installation and operation of the pumps.

According to the reports of WAPDA and other hydrogeological agencies, there is no shortage of groundwater in the district. The situation is not yet precarious, as is the case in other districts. What needs to be done is sinking of more tube wells by PHED for the supply of drinking water. The number of hand pumps needs to be increased as well.

Maintenance of the piped water supply schemes is posing a problem. Previously PHED and government agencies were not only responsible for installation of the tube wells, but were also responsible for their maintenance. Now PHED has shifted the responsibility of maintenance to the community. Unfortunately the community is not fulfilling its duty satisfactorily. The community needs to be motivated to carry out its responsibilities in the larger interest of the area.

Sanitation in the district has never been considered worth giving attention. Now, LGRDD is currently constructing appropriate low-cost household latrines. Efforts are underway to popularise it in rural areas and small townships.

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