Chiniot: water in 145 of 451 government schools tested fails safety standards, TDS above 2,000

Drinking water in 145 government schools in Punjab's Chiniot district has failed safety testing, ARY News reported. The finding comes from the District Research Laboratory, which tested water in public educational institutions across the district.

What the tests found

District Research Officer Irshad Ahmed said 451 schools were tested district-wide and samples from 145 of them did not meet safety standards. That is about one school in three (32%).

The laboratory checked the water's colour, taste, pH and total dissolved solids (TDS). A TDS level of up to 1,000 is generally considered acceptable, the officer said, but the contaminated samples went above 2,000, which he said poses serious health risks to students.

Why TDS matters

TDS measures the dissolved minerals and salts in water. A very high reading does not by itself name the contaminant, but it signals that the supply needs further testing and treatment before children drink it every day. The report did not say which schools failed, which areas they are in, or what the laboratory found beyond the four checks.

What happens next

The report did not say what the Punjab government or the district administration will do, such as installing filters or switching supply sources, or by when. Parents who want to know about their child's school can ask the school head or the district education office for the test result.

Families who must buy treated water for school can find suppliers and schools near them in our directory of schools in Chiniot.