ISLAMABAD: With Pakistan’s population exceeding 220 million, the nation’s water resources are under severe pressure, reducing per capita water availability to 908 cubic meters.
This alarming decline signals significant challenges for policymakers, particularly concerning food security.
The lack of new mega water reservoirs since the construction of the Tarbela and Mangla dams, alongside changing weather patterns and natural hazards, has severely impacted Pakistan’s economy, agriculture, and overall lifestyle.
Historical data highlights this dramatic decrease: from 5,260 cubic meters per capita in 1951 to just 908 cubic meters in 2016.
The population boom is a major contributing factor, with numbers soaring from 34 million in 1951 to 220 million in 2022. This rapid growth, coupled with inadequate water storage facilities, has led to frequent floods and droughts, inflicting significant economic losses.
Every year, Pakistan wastes approximately 29 million acre-feet (MAF) of water due to insufficient storage facilities. Shams ul Mulk, former WAPDA Chairman, underscores the financial implications of this wastage, noting that the loss of one MAF costs around six billion rupees.
Experts, including Dr. Muhammad Aslam Tahir, former Chairman of the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), stress the urgency of constructing new dams. Countries like China, India, Japan, and Iran have advanced in building water storage facilities, whereas Pakistan lags significantly behind. The depletion of river water resources and excessive groundwater extraction further complicates the situation, necessitating comprehensive long-term planning and policy implementation.
Dr. Muhammad Ashraf, another former PCRWR Chairman, advocates for immediate measures to manage water usage across agriculture, domestic, and industrial sectors. He emphasizes the need for an awareness campaign, technological adoption, and population control to prevent reaching absolute water scarcity by 2025. Additionally, urban sprawl and the destruction of watershed areas contribute to reduced rainfall and urban flooding, highlighting the need for stringent water conservation strategies.
The Pakistan Water Gateway reports a decline in groundwater levels by a meter annually, warning of impending widespread water poverty. Effective water resource management through coordinated policies and projects is critical to addressing this challenge.
Despite the grim outlook, there are efforts underway. The Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) is implementing an extensive development portfolio, including eight mega projects aimed at enhancing water storage and hydropower capacity. These projects, scheduled for completion between 2024 and 2029, promise to double hydel generation and significantly increase water storage, providing much-needed relief and fostering economic growth.
Pakistan’s water crisis demands urgent and concerted efforts in water conservation, infrastructure development, and sustainable management practices to secure a viable future.
