Residents of Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Kotri told not to drink Indus water

Authorities have urged residents of Jamshoro, Hyderabad and Kotri not to drink water drawn from the Indus River, saying contamination has reached dangerous levels.

The warning follows a letter from the Executive Engineer at Kotri Barrage to the Superintending Engineer of the Baghar Circle in Hyderabad. Daily Times and TechJuice both reported on the letter.

According to the reports, total dissolved solids (TDS) in the river measured 660 milligrams per litre in September and 940 milligrams per litre by October. TechJuice put the increase at nearly 43 percent and said the 940 figure was recorded on 1 October. Official testing also found hazardous elements at dangerous concentrations, according to Daily Times.

Officials said drinking the polluted water can cause kidney disease, hepatitis, and skin and stomach infections. They cautioned that failing to act promptly could lead to a public health emergency in the affected cities.

The letter calls for a ban on discharging untreated wastewater from Manchar Lake and the Matiari Sugar Mill into the river. Daily Times said officials named untreated industrial effluent from the mill and discharge from Manchar Lake as the main sources of contamination.

The engineers also asked for the immediate release of additional freshwater from Sukkur Barrage towards Kotri to dilute the contamination. Daily Times reported that provincial irrigation authorities are coordinating flow adjustments, and that the provincial government has been asked to enforce environmental compliance on industrial units.

Daily Times also reported that municipal authorities are arranging alternative clean water supplies and that health officials advise boiling all municipal water before use. Hospitals across Sindh are preparing for possible waterborne disease outbreaks, and technical teams are monitoring daily water samples. Regional administrators expect water safety to improve as more freshwater reaches Kotri Barrage.