GROUND WATER, SAVE IT        

                Ground water which is the only significant source for  drinking water. Groundwater is also one of our most important sources of irrigation water.

           Think of groundwater as water that fills the spaces between rocks and soil particles underground, in much the same way as water fills a sponge. Groundwater begins as precipitation and soaks into the ground where it is stored in underground geological water systems called aquifers. Sometimes groundwater feeds springs, lakes, and other surface waters or is drawn out of the ground by humans. The water then can  evaporate, form clouds, and return to the earth to begin the cycle over again.

CONTAMINATION OF GROUND WATER

         Unfortunately, ground water is susceptible to pollutants. Groundwater is generally a safe source of drinking water, however, there are concerns that contamination may increase as toxins dumped on the ground in the past make their way into groundwater supplies.

          Drinking contaminated groundwater can have serious health effects. Diseases such as hepatitis and dysentery may be caused by contamination from septic tank waste. Poisoning may be caused by toxins that have leached into well water supplies. And it is important not to forget that wildlife, too, can be harmed by contaminated groundwater

         Pollutants that contaminate groundwater may be some of the same pollutants that contaminate surface water. Compounds from the surface can move through the soil and end up in the groundwater. For example, pesticides and fertilizers can find their way into groundwater supplies over time. Road salt, toxic substances from mining sites, and used motor oil also may seep into groundwater. In addition, it is possible for untreated waste from septic tanks and toxic chemicals from underground storage tanks to contaminate groundwater. To read about other ways groundwater can become contaminated

   DRINKING CLEAN WATER – “BACK TO THE PAST”

       Every year more than two million children under the age f five die as a result of contaminated drinking water and poor sanitation. By the year 2025 ,35% of the worlds people will have to face catastrophically low water supplies. The situation become more grave when even the low water supply is unhealthy, a problem especially in third world countries like Pakistan.
polluted water supply in the big municipalities causing Hepatitis , Stomach and skin diseases. In the city Lahore drinking water supply is mixed with broken and damage pipelines of sewerage. .According to a study 70% drinking water supply by the government authorities is unhealthy , contaminated with health hazardous microorganisms and chemicals , creating serious health problems. Main factors are mismanagement , non replacement of water supply and sewerage pipelines.
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       The basic aim of “Back to the Past” program of  Green Cross Pakistan  is to make healthy water supply right from the houses , preferably installing hand pumps and donkies .We help in analyzing water quality assessment to the communities.

WASTE WATER TREATMENT

     Treated waste water can be a good source of available water for “Urban Agriculture” initiatives . We also intend to provide free consultancy and help industries in management of wastewater . We are also partner in conducting research and adopting different techniques of waste water treatments emphasizing on employing cheaper biological techniques other than the mechanical and chemical technologies. This effort is to save the fresh water resources for drinking and agriculture , to save river life and ultimately to save the marine species .

WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AT FARMERS LEVEL

     P akistan is going to be deprived with water resources. Frequent droughts , mismanagement and water
conflicts at national and regional level , putting ultimate effect at community level making it important to address the issue of water management from the grass root level. More than 14 MFA , water losses occur annually at field level due to mismanagement and unawareness of handling the precious resource.
GCP water education program to farmers is a developmental campaign catching significant attention , achieving socially sustainable economic oriented results.

                                                   This campaign based on lecture series to small holding farmers addressing multidimensional environomic aspects . This campaign is also having                  the    demonstrations to show the farmers how to save precious resources of water and its just application. This provides a valuable addition in ameliorating financial conditions of poor farmers besides saving the alread y meager of their scare water availability .The lecture series covers the efficient methods and measures with introduction of cheaper technologies in irrigation techniques and education of dry farming .

More  than   10 million  people  living  in remote  areas of  Pakistan   have  not  access  to ground water source  for  drinking water , largely dependent

on  other sources .Climate  change putting  effects  on water aquifers in  southern areas of Pakistan .  A study  made   by Green Cross Pakistan

indicates that in south of Sindh average rise in temperature  is  2 to 3 degree  from 1947 .In 1947  horizontal  flow of ground water  was average eight 

feet per  year  which  in 2004 is average  5  feet /year.The  decrease in  flow  rate is positively correlated with  diminishing surface water resources  and

 rise  in  temperature . Decreasing  of  ground water  resources  increasing desertification in Southern Pakistan .Climate change  effect  on ground  water

 needed to  be  minimized  by  developing  Geobotanical equilibrium .

  Every  year  more  than  11000  deaths occur in Pakistan  are  only  due  to  drinking  contaminAted  water    Almost one third of Pakistan's                                    

150 million  population has no access to safe drinking water, while 76 million live without any sanitation facilities  Chemicals  contamination of  water

   is  more  drastic as it can  badly  disturb human  physiology  by  decoding messenger RNAs in  falls    impressions and causes  inherited mutation.

In case   studies conducted  by Green Cross Pakistan  in Lahore and  its nearby villages. Those who drink arsenic and nitrates in their  water cancer

 of  skin  lungs  and Urinary  blader are  common . Offspring  were  found  more  profound  chances to  get  cancer when  kept  in  same environment

for   longer  time . Out of  the 10 lungs cancer patients 6 got cancer symptoms in  their children also.

Pollution in   river   Ravi  not   only  affecting  inhabitants  living  along  the river but animals especially cows  getting  physiological

     disorders  transmittable to human  bodies through milk . Pollution in the river Ravi is the highest compared to all the rivers in Pakistan.The river

presently receives 47% of the total municipal and industrial pollution load discharged into all the rivers of Pakistan. A decreasing trend in DO level

 and an  increasing trend in BOD and TDS levels observed in the river. In a  study of Green  Cross Pakistan  milk  samples taken from

the cows along the  river Ravi contains Bovine  LEUKEMIA virus  which is linked  with  drinking munciple and industrial  contaminated

river  water . The  milk  in human body  cause cancer of  the lymphatic organs  and  other physiological disorders .

Floods in  Pakistan   always bring  water borne diseases . Natural  Catastrophes can not  be checked  but Green Cross materialize its

  mission there  by helping   clean drinking  water  availability through  medicines to  clean the contaminated  water . In

 Pakistan    immediate  health need during the floods is the availibility of  clean drinking  water  which  otherwise takes lives and  cause other water

 born  diseases .