In a major step toward ensuring access to clean drinking water in Pakistan, Forman Christian College (FCCU) and the Government of South Korea have launched a transformative water purification initiative under a $1.2 million Official Development Assistance (ODA) project. The initiative, titled “Scientific and Sustainable Application of Groundwater Treatment Technology for Safe Drinking Water Supply in Punjab, Pakistan,” marks a milestone as the first Korean ODA-funded water project awarded to a private Pakistani university.
At a ceremony commemorating the inauguration of two newly installed groundwater treatment plants — one in Sarhali Kalan Village, Kasur, and another on the FCCU campus in Lahore — dignitaries from both countries celebrated a successful international partnership aimed at tackling one of Pakistan’s most critical public health challenges.
The project, funded by South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), is being executed in partnership with Dankook University (DKU) South Korea, and in coordination with Pakistan’s Economic Affairs Division and the Ministry of Science and Technology.
The event was attended by Korean Ambassador Mr. Kijun Park, Ms. Hyesun Ahan from the Korean Embassy, Special Secretary to the Governor of Punjab Mr. Abdul Rehman Shah, Punjab Saaf Pani Authority CEO Mr. Syed Zahid Aziz, and senior officials from PCRWR and FCCU.
Rector Dr. Jonathan S. Addleton called the Korean partnership “one of the most significant” international linkages in FCCU’s history. Ambassador Park added, “Korea and Pakistan have great potential for cooperation in many sectors, and water is among the most vital.”
The newly installed plant in Sarhali Kalan, a rural village where arsenic in groundwater reached alarming levels of 550 parts per billion, is powered by solar energy and provides 10,000 liters of safe water daily to approximately 5,000 residents — reducing arsenic levels to below 2 ppb with zero microbial contamination. A similar facility in Kot Maiga Village now also serves another 5,000 people, addressing arsenic issues found in 44% of local water samples.
FCCU’s own community of over 9,000 students and staff now benefits from WHO-standard drinking water supplied on campus. The project also includes the establishment of a state-of-the-art Water Analysis Centre at FCCU’s Department of Environmental Sciences — now one of Pakistan’s most advanced labs for detecting a wide range of water contaminants.
The initiative is led by a team of dedicated scientists at FCCU including Dr. Shinho Chung (Principal Investigator), Dr. Shazia Ilyas, Dr. Derk Bakker, Dr. Sohaib Aslam, Dr. Shahbaz Akhtar, and Dr. Kausar Abdulla Malik.
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More than a technological achievement, the project reflects a shared commitment to public health, sustainability, and scientific collaboration, directly contributing to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6 — clean water and sanitation for all.