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LAHORE: Environment Protection Department (EPD) Punjab has found that 60% population of 15 districts of the province is using contaminated water for drinking purposes.

Punjab's Environment Minister Makhdoom Ashfaq Ahmed said this while briefing the newsmen about one year performance of his department here on Thursday.

The districts include Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Faisalabad, Rahim Yar Khan, Sargodha, Gujrat, Bahawalpure and Multan.

EPD collected 375 samples of drinking water from 15 districts and found 60% of them unfit for drinking purpose during the laboratory test, he elaborated.

EPD has advised the concerned district governments to take steps for providing pure water supply to the people living in these areas and it got a traditional "Okey " response from them, he said adding, only time would tell, to what extent they would implement the advice.

However, he assured that the EPD would continue pursuing them towards the right direction. The situation in Lahore city is the worst where 70-75% water samples taken from all the six towns of the city could not meet the required standard, he said.

This includes 30 government schools of Shalimar Town and some big five star hotels of the city, he added. The minister said that WASA's water supply network in some parts of the city has become outdated and emphasized upon the need of replacing it. He did not rule out the possibility of mixing water supply and sewerage pipes in some parts of the city.