Study reveals alarming levels of fluoride in Quetta’s drinking water

QUETTA: A study found that 52 per cent of drinking water in Quetta is contaminated with high levels of fluoride, a hidden poison that is causing bone diseases.

The research was conducted by Taimoor Shah Durrani, a PhD scholar and teacher at the Department of Hydrochemistry at Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS),

He collected water samples from atleast 100 tubewells in densely populated areas between 2022 and 2024.

The study’s findings are alarming, with a significant concentration of fluoride detected in the drinking water.

In 27% of the areas in northwest and central Quetta, the fluoride level was found to be as high as 3.4 mg, exceeding the safe limits.

In contrast, 25% of the samples from the northeast upper areas showed fluoride levels below the recommended limits.

According to Durrani, the areas with the highest fluoride levels are located in the central belt of the valley, including Sariab, Double Road Mian Ghandi, and Nohisar.

With a population of 2.5 million, the majority of Quetta’s residents are drinking this contaminated water, putting them at risk of fluoride-related health problems.

The World Health Organization recommends that clean drinking water should have a fluoride level of 0.5 to 1.52 milligrams per liter and exceeding this limit can lead to toxicity.

Durrani warns that the high concentration of fluoride is taking a toll on the health of both children and elders, causing symptoms such as reddish-brown teeth in children and knee pain in people over 50. “It is like a slow poison as it is tasteless in water,” he said.

The study emphasizes the need for the government to set minimum fluoride levels and install water filtration and treatment plants in Quetta to ensure safe drinking water for its residents.

Read More: Most tap water in northern Pakistan not fit to drink

Durrani stresses the importance of checking fluoride levels before consuming water, as high levels of fluoride can have devastating health consequences.