Conserving water smartly
Pakistan is simultaneously experiencing too much water and too little water
Pakistan faces a simple but urgent truth: our water crisis won’t wait. As someone who has watched floodwaters devastate communities one year and drought parch farmlands the next, I have come to realise that our approach to water must fundamentally change. Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) isn’t just a fancy policy term – it is our lifeline to survival in a climate-changed world.Pakistan is simultaneously experiencing too much water and too little water. During monsoon seasons, especially in recent years, catastrophic floods have displaced millions and caused billions in damages. The 2022 floods affected over 33 million people – a staggering one-third of our country underwater. Yet, paradoxically, Pakistan ranks among the most water-stressed countries globally, with per capita water availability plummeting from 5,600 cubic meters at independence to less than 1,000 cubic meters today.
Why this contradiction? Because we’ve failed to manage what water we have effectively.
Our current approach is reactive rather than proactive. We build embankments after floods and drill deeper wells during droughts. This cycle is unsustainable and increasingly dangerous as climate change intensifies both extremes.
Consider our water infrastructure: much of it dates back to colonial times. The massive canal system, once an engineering marvel, now loses up to 40 per cent of water through seepage. Our storage capacity can only hold about 30 days of water — compare that to 1,000 days in Egypt or 220 days in India.
Meanwhile, groundwater is being depleted at alarming rates. In Punjab, the breadbasket of Pakistan, the water table drops approximately one meter annually. Farmers respond by drilling deeper, using more electricity, increasing their costs, and accelerating the problem.
This is where Integrated Water Resource Management enters the picture. But what exactly does it mean for ordinary Pakistanis?
First, IWRM requires recognising water as a finite resource that must be managed across sectors. Agriculture uses over 90 per cent of our freshwater, often inefficiently through flood irrigation. Industry pollutes waterways with minimal treatment. And growing cities increase demand while struggling with inadequate infrastructure.
Second, IWRM demands coordination between provinces, which historically has been challenging. The Indus Waters Treaty with India addresses international water sharing, but interprovincial water disputes remain contentious despite the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord.
So how do we implement IWRM practically? Let’s start at the farm level. Traditional flood irrigation wastes enormous amounts of water. Transitioning to drip and sprinkler systems could reduce water usage by 50-70 per cent while maintaining or even improving yields. But this requires investment and training programmes targeted at small farmers who may be reluctant to change generations-old practices.
At the community level, we need thousands of small and medium reservoirs rather than just a few massive dams. Local rainwater harvesting systems can capture monsoon rains for use during dry periods. Traditional wisdom like karezes (underground aqueducts) in Balochistan should be revitalised alongside modern techniques. For cities, the answer begins with fixing leaking supply systems. Karachi loses up to 35 per cent of its water to leakage and theft. Wastewater treatment and reuse must become standard practice, not the exception. Building codes should mandate rainwater collection systems for new developments.
Implementing these changes demands political courage. Water pricing remains a controversial topic — we treat water as if it were infinite when it’s anything but. A graduated pricing system that ensures basic needs while discouraging waste would drive conservation, but politicians fear backlash from consumers accustomed to heavily subsidised water.
Similarly, enforcing regulations against industrial pollution means confronting powerful interests. Negotiating water-sharing arrangements between provinces requires putting national interests above regional politics.
Despite these challenges, successful models exist. The Participatory Irrigation Management programme in some parts of Punjab has empowered farmer organisations to maintain canals and distribute water more efficiently. The Salinity Control and Reclamation Projects have rehabilitated waterlogged and saline lands. These successes can be scaled up with proper investment and political will. International cooperation will be essential as well. Pakistan shares watersheds with Afghanistan, China, and India. Climate change doesn’t respect borders, and neither can our water management strategies.
Beyond survival, there’s a compelling economic case for IWRM. Water scarcity already costs Pakistan an estimated 3-4 per cent of GDP annually. With proper management, that loss could become a gain through increased agricultural productivity, reduced disaster damages and new opportunities in water-efficient industries. As citizens, we must demand action. Water management can’t remain buried in technical reports and policy documents. It must become a national priority discussed in every home, school and workplace.
The solution to Pakistan’s water crisis isn’t simply more dams or deeper wells but a fundamental rethinking of how we value, manage and conserve our most precious resource. Integrated Water Resource Management offers a framework, but its success depends on implementation at every level of society. Our future depends on it. In the end, water isn’t just about survival — it’s about what kind of Pakistan we want to build for generations to come.
The writer is head of the Trade, Industry & Productivity (TIP) research group at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), Islamabad.
