G-B and Upper Indus: a water quality crisis

The Upper Indus Basin (UIB), originating from the glaciers and snowfields of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), is often described as Pakistan’s “strategic water tower.” The rivers and streams flowing from these mountains sustain downstream agriculture, generate hydropower, support ecosystems, and provide freshwater to millions of people across the country. Due to its high-altitude environment, low industrial footprint, and abundance of glacier-fed water, the region is widely perceived as possessing some of the purest freshwater resources in South Asia.

However, recent evidence from the Gilgit-Baltistan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (GB-MICS) 2024-25 challenges this perception and reveals an emerging crisis of drinking water quality in the region. While Gilgit-Baltistan enjoys relatively good access to water, the quality of that water is increasingly becoming a major public health and development concern. The findings suggest that water abundance does not necessarily translate into water safety.

The survey indicates that approximately 80.6 percent of the population uses improved drinking water sources, including piped water, protected springs, and boreholes. Likewise, 80.1 percent of the population has access to at least basic drinking water services, meeting the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) criteria for improved water access. These figures suggest considerable progress in extending water supply services across the region and reflect significant investments in rural water infrastructure during the last ten years.

Yet these encouraging statistics conceal a more troubling reality. Water quality testing conducted under GB-MICS found that 67.1 percent of tested source water samples contained Escherichia coli (E. coli), an internationally recognized indicator of faecal contamination. Even more concerning, 74.8 percent of household drinking water samples tested positive for E. coli at the point of consumption. Consequently, only 15.8 percent of the population has access to safely managed drinking water services that are improved, available when needed, accessible on premises, and free from microbial contamination. It is important to note that the survey was conducted during the winter months (September–January), whereas E. coli contamination is generally more prevalent during the summer season. Therefore, the actual extent of microbial contamination in drinking water is likely to be considerably higher during summer months.

The district-level findings reveal significant geographical disparities in water quality across Gilgit-Baltistan. Approximately, 75.2 percent of households in Gilgit and 73.6 percent in Astore consume drinking water contaminated with E. coli, both close to the provincial average. Nagar also reports a high contamination rate of 64.2 percent, while Ghizer records a comparatively lower but still alarming level of 59.4 percent. Hunza emerges as a notable exception, with 33.6 percent of household drinking water samples testing positive for E. coli, substantially lower than the provincial average. These variations indicate that the water quality crisis is not uniform and that district-specific interventions are needed to address local drivers of contamination and infrastructure deficiencies.

The findings fundamentally challenge the widespread assumption that mountain water sources are inherently safe for consumption. They also reveal an important distinction between access to water and access to safe water. Infrastructure that delivers water to households cannot be considered successful if the water itself remains contaminated and poses risks to human health.

The presence of E. coli indicates contamination by human or animal waste and suggests the possible presence of other harmful pathogens. Such contamination significantly increases the risk of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, and other gastrointestinal infections. Globally, unsafe drinking water remains one of the leading environmental risk factors for disease and mortality, particularly among children.

The implications for Gilgit-Baltistan are especially serious. The region’s difficult terrain, dispersed settlements, and limited healthcare infrastructure make communities particularly vulnerable to the health impacts of unsafe water. Children are disproportionately affected, with recurrent diarrheal diseases contributing to malnutrition, impaired cognitive development, and increased morbidity. In remote mountain communities where access to healthcare facilities often requires long travel times, preventing waterborne disease through improved water quality is considerably more effective and less costly than treating illness after it occurs.

The survey findings indicate that contamination levels are higher at the household level than at the source, suggesting that water quality deteriorates during transportation, storage, and handling. Water is often stored in open containers or exposed to secondary contamination due to poor hygiene practices. Therefore, improving source water alone is insufficient; safe storage, treatment, and handling at the household level are equally essential for water security.

Beyond public health, these findings carry broader implications for environmental sustainability and national water security. The Upper Indus Basin is the hydrological backbone of Pakistan’s economy. The waters originating from Gilgit-Baltistan feed the Indus River system that supports the country’s irrigated agriculture, energy production, and urban water supply. Any deterioration in the quality of water in the headwaters has the potential to create cascading impacts downstream.

Climate change further compounds these risks. Rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, accelerated glacial melt, and increasing frequency of floods and landslides are placing unprecedented pressure on mountain water systems. These events frequently damage water infrastructure, contaminate springs and surface water sources, and disrupt access to safe drinking water. At the same time, population growth, urbanization, and increasing tourism are placing additional pressures on already fragile water and sanitation systems in the region.

The findings of the GB-MICS therefore raise an important policy question: how can a region consider the source of Pakistan’s freshwater wealth still face such severe challenges in drinking water quality?

The answer lies partly in the historical focus of water policy, which has often prioritized infrastructure expansion and access over water quality management. Water quality monitoring remains limited; and microbial testing is rarely integrated into routine service delivery and local governance mechanisms.

Addressing these challenges requires a shift from infrastructure-centred interventions towards an integrated water security approach that places water quality at the centre of planning and decision-making. Establishing routine water quality monitoring systems across all districts, supported by local laboratory capacities and regular microbial testing, should become a policy priority. Investments are also needed in climate-resilient drinking water infrastructure, including protected water sources, filtration systems, chlorination facilities, and community-based water treatment technologies.

Equally important are improvements in sanitation and waste management systems to reduce contamination at the source. Protecting springs and catchments, ensuring the proper disposal of human and animal waste, and strengthening drainage infrastructure should become integral components of water management strategies. Public awareness campaigns and behavior change programmes are also needed to promote safe water storage, household treatment practices, and improved hygiene behaviors.

Finally, water quality considerations must be integrated into broader climate adaptation, public health, and development planning frameworks. Strengthening coordination among the water, health, environment, and local government sectors will be critical to developing a comprehensive response to the growing water quality challenges facing the Upper Indus Basin.

The findings of the GB-MICS 2024-25 serve as a timely reminder that water security cannot be measured solely by the quantity of water available. In a region that serves as Pakistan’s water tower, safeguarding water quality is both a regional necessity and a national imperative. The future resilience of the Upper Indus Basin and the millions of people who depend upon its waters downstream will depend not only on preserving the flow of water from these mountains but also on ensuring that this water remains safe, clean, and fit for human consumption.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026