Beyond Pipes and Toilets: -

By syed shah nasir
Why Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Must Invest in Safely Managed Water and Sanitation
For decades, the success of water supply and sanitation programmes in Pakistan has been measured by the number of hand pumps installed, water supply schemes completed, or household toilets constructed. These achievements deserve recognition, but they no longer tell the whole story. The real question today is not whether people have a water connection or a toilet—it is whether the water they drink is safe, whether sanitation protects public health and the environment, and whether these services are reliable, affordable, climate-resilient, and sustainable.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) now stands at a defining moment. The province has made impressive progress in expanding access to basic water and sanitation services over the past two decades. Yet the next stage of development requires a fundamental shift—from counting infrastructure to delivering Safely Managed Water and Sanitation Services, the standard envisioned under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.
Millions of people across KP now rely on public water supply systems developed by the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) and other service providers. However, many of these systems operate below their intended capacity. Aging infrastructure, inadequate operation and maintenance budgets, rising electricity costs, intermittent power supply, and shortages of trained technical staff have reduced service reliability. In many communities, water is available for only a few hours each day, forcing households to store water under conditions that increase the risk of contamination.
Equally concerning is water quality. Microbial contamination, insufficient chlorination, damaged pipelines, and inadequate laboratory testing continue to threaten public health. Access to water alone is no longer enough. Every household deserves water that is safe to drink every day of the year.
Sanitation presents an even greater challenge. While household toilet coverage has increased significantly, safely managed sanitation remains the missing link in the service chain. Most households depend on septic tanks or pit latrines, many of which are poorly designed and constructed. When these facilities fill, fecal sludge is frequently collected by informal operators and disposed of into open drains, rivers, agricultural land, or vacant areas without treatment. This practice contaminates water resources, degrades the environment, and exposes communities to preventable diseases.
The reality is simple: a toilet alone does not make a community safe. Unless human waste is safely contained, transported, treated, and disposed of or reused, sanitation remains incomplete. This is why Fecal Sludge Management (FSM) and Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) have become global priorities. KP has begun embracing these concepts, but implementation remains at an early stage and requires stronger institutional support.
The province’s urban sewerage systems tell a similar story. Only a limited number of cities have sewerage networks, and wastewater treatment remains minimal. Most wastewater eventually flows untreated into rivers and streams, polluting water bodies that support agriculture, ecosystems, and downstream communities. Investing in wastewater treatment is no longer an environmental luxury—it is a public health necessity.
Hygiene is another critical pillar of public health. The COVID-19 pandemic reminded the world that handwashing with soap is one of the most effective and affordable disease prevention measures. Yet many schools, healthcare facilities, and low-income households continue to lack functional handwashing facilities. Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) also deserves greater attention. Too many adolescent girls still face barriers to education because schools lack privacy, adequate sanitation facilities, or systems for the safe disposal of menstrual waste. Improving WASH services in schools and healthcare facilities is therefore not only an investment in health but also in education, dignity, and gender equality.
Institutional reform is equally important. The WASH sector in KP remains fragmented among multiple government departments, local governments, Water and Sanitation Services Companies (WSSCs), and development partners. While each institution plays an important role, overlapping mandates and weak coordination often slow progress. The provincial government’s initiative to establish a dedicated Sanitation Unit within PHED is therefore both timely and strategic. This institution can become the driving force behind policy reform, technical guidance, and coordinated implementation of Safely Managed Sanitation and CWIS across the province.
Financing remains another pressing concern. Development budgets continue to prioritize new infrastructure, while operation and maintenance receive inadequate attention. Water supply schemes cannot remain functional without regular maintenance, and sanitation systems cannot operate safely without sustained investment. Provincial budget allocations must increasingly prioritize maintaining existing assets alongside expanding new services. At the same time, innovative financing mechanisms, stronger cost recovery, and public-private partnerships can help bridge the growing investment gap.
Climate change adds another layer of urgency. KP is increasingly vulnerable to flash floods, glacial melt, droughts, landslides, and groundwater depletion. Water supply systems are repeatedly damaged by extreme weather events, while changing rainfall patterns threaten long-term water security. Future investments must therefore incorporate climate resilience through solar-powered water systems, climate-smart infrastructure, groundwater protection, and disaster-resilient planning.
The province also has an opportunity to harness innovation. Digital asset management, GIS-based infrastructure mapping, mobile monitoring systems, water quality surveillance, and performance-based management can significantly improve service delivery and accountability. Likewise, the private sector can play a much greater role in desludging services, wastewater treatment, sanitation enterprises, and technological innovation if supported through appropriate regulatory and financial frameworks.
Despite these challenges, there is every reason for optimism. KP possesses an experienced technical workforce, committed leadership, active development partners, and growing public awareness of sanitation and environmental health. More importantly, the provincial government has already initiated important reforms, including the proposed establishment of a dedicated sanitation unit and efforts to mainstream Safely Managed Sanitation into provincial planning. These initiatives should be accelerated and backed by the necessary political commitment and financial resources.
The choice before policymakers is clear. The province can continue investing primarily in infrastructure while struggling with deteriorating services, or it can embrace a new vision that prioritizes quality, sustainability, public health, and resilience. The future of water and sanitation lies not in constructing more facilities alone but in ensuring that every service—from the water source to the household tap, and from the toilet to the safe treatment of waste—functions effectively and protects both people and the environment.
Safe water and sanitation are not simply development targets; they are the foundation of public health, economic productivity, environmental sustainability, and human dignity. If Khyber Pakhtunkhwa embraces this transition now, it can become Pakistan’s leading example of how smart governance, strategic investment, and inclusive policies can transform the lives of millions. The time to move beyond pipes and toilets is now. The next chapter must be about delivering safely managed services that leave no one behind.