Water supply remains a huge concern in Pakistan. It is estimated that by 2025, water supply will fall short of demand by 100 billion cubic metres. A lack of proper water management further adds fuel to the fire as water supplies are either leaked or stolen. Amongst these concerns, effective provision of quality drinking water is a critical service to vulnerable populations whose health depends on safe, affordable water.
Pharmagen Healthcare Limited (PHL) was set up in 2007 as a subsidiary of Pharmagen Limited. The two business divisions of PHL are safe water provision and medicine provision.
According to the company, 40% of all illnesses in Pakistan are water-borne diseases. Water supply lines and open sewer drains often lay side by side on streets, resulting in hazardous chemical and bacterial contamination of drinking water.
PHL provides safe drinking water by means of establishing community water systems through Pakistan’s most populated province – Lahore – and water shops where people can purchase water conveniently at 1.5 rupees per litre.
The company’s purification process treats water with chlorine, multiple filtration methods, reverse osmosis, mineralization, ozonation, and UV light.
“It has a good taste,” said Farah, resident of Lahore’s DHA. “We have had water delivered from other companies before this. PHL has a distinct sweet flavor and it is definitely good value for money.”
Currently, PHL has 17 water shops that mainly target customers with an average salary of less than 20,000 rupees a month. In Pakistan, the poor pay a higher price for water than the rich and given the scarcity, the inability to access affordable water can be detrimental.
PHL delivers water to households and averages 2,000 walk-in customers per shop. With an investment from Acumen Fund, the company plans to greatly enhance its production level and open more water plants.
Photo from Pharmagen Healthcare Limited.