PESHAWAR: Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP) replaced the more than 40 years old asbestos-based water distribution system with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes, marking a major milestone in providing 10,000 residents of University Town with clean and safe drinking water. According to a statement issued here on Thursday the WSSP Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Yasir Ali Khan said that the newly installed system had been operationalised for supplying clean drinking water. It was stated that the WSSP was currently supplying water to 1,050 homes, markets, and shops in University Town, having 400 legal connections, while registering illegal connections drive was in process. “Worldwide research has led to the discontinuation of asbestos pipes for water supply, as these not only allow sewage water to contaminate drinking water but also pose health risks and cause diseases. Asbestos pipes are prone to breakage and have joints every six feet, which leads to water contamination,” the official said. According to statement, the CEO added that the replacement of water distribution network would increase the number of legal consumers and improve revenue, as complaints about insufficient and contaminated water had now been resolved. He maintained that after installing new distribution pipeline, the process of testing water quality had also commenced, while with access to clean and safe drinking water, illegal bores would be controlled to a large extent. It was stated that pipes had been replaced in all streets including School Road, Mulberry Road, Old Jamrud Road, Circular Road, Park Road, Jamaluddin Afghani Road, Khushal Khan Khattak Road, and Rehman Baba Road. The replacement of distribution network had led to an improvement in water quality, elimination of contamination and leakage, and a one-third reduction in electricity costs for water supply, the statement concluded.