The water supply situation in the district varies from place to place. On the whole, it is not adequate. Only about 37% of the population has access to potable water supplied by water supply schemes of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED). The remaining 63% population depends on wells, karezes, springs, and streams. Even in the places where PHED water supply schemes are in operation the quantity of water is not adequate for the population.

Source : Water & Sanitation, LG & RDD

Agriculture Statistics, GoB.

PHED, GoB, Quetta & XENs Offices of PHED at Districts.

Drinking water is drawn by the people from PHED potable water supply schemes, wells, springs, karezes, and streams. The PHED has eight water supply schemes in operation, in Ziarat, Mullah Hutain, Kawas, Mana Karez, G-Kawar, Karin Bang, Faqeer Mohammad and J- Bandal. The schemes in Karaz Bang and Faqeer Mohammad are in the final stage. the other six schemes provide 1.6 million litres a day. Three water supply schemes are based on springs, four on surface wells, and one on a tube well. Another two schemes are in progress in Mamozar Kawas and Zindra.

Further expansion in potable water supply facilities is planned by the government. Besides PHED, the Ziarat Valley Development Authority (ZVDA) is also associated with water supply schemes.

In addition to PHED, and ZVDA the local bodies are also associated in rural areas with development of potable water supply based on open wells. Information on the scale of their involvement in the district is, however, not available.

Women are the prime collectors of water. In case water supply schemes are absent, they bring water on their backs from far away streams or wells in leather bags known as "Mushkeezas".

The PHED is responsible for development and management of drinking water schemes. The Ziarat Valley Development Authority is likely to take over this function from PHED.

Ground water in Ziarat district is of good quality. No information is available on the volume of this resource, but it is believed that the resources are adequate for the population. The problem is that of harnessing these resources by developing water supply schemes.

Sanitation situation is bad all over the district and especially in the rural areas. There are no arrangements for drainage of waste water, nor for waste collection and disposal. Garbage is seen lying around, producing foul smells.

In Ziarat town there are water drains as well as arrangements for waste collection and disposal. The staff responsible for sanitation is, however, inadequate. The worst period in respect of sanitation is when tourists inflow is at its peak i.e. May-August.

There is a full-fledged PHED division at Ziarat headed by a Divisional Engineer and staffed by engineers, sub-engineers and other staff.

The agencies associated with water and sanitation services and the services provided by them are shown below.

The situation in respect of drinking water supply and sanitation is not satisfactory. There are a number of clean drinking water supply schemes in the district, but they are unable to meet the full requirements of the population in their jurisdiction. Water is available for a few hours a day and the quantity is small. Water shortage is felt particularly in Ziarat town in summer. Therefore, it was no surprise when every respondent of this study ranked drinking water as a top problem.

The sanitation situation is bad and getting worse in Ziarat town and also rural areas. All efforts of the Ziarat Valley Development Authority (ZVDA) and of the Ziarat Municipality, have failed to arrest the deterioration. While improvement in sanitation all over the district need be placed high the on development agenda, Ziarat town and areas around it deserve priority in view of their being a tourists resort.

Women have a major role in collecting water. It is important that women are involved in community level decision making on water schemes, in particular with regard to selection of sides for pumps and tanks.