NUST water conservation drive held

By Afshan S. Khan
November 16, 2018

Islamabad : Water is a scarce resource in Pakistan and for that, Pakistan was declared a water stressed country in 2025. Over 90 % of our water is being used in agriculture, out of which 50% get wasted due to old irrigation practices. Remaining 10% is used for civic and industrial purposes. It is one of the major challenges we are facing at the moment.

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Against the backdrop of the worsening water crisis in Pakistan and prompted by the potential threat of turning into a water scarce country, the National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST) has embarked on a robust campaign to raise awareness on water conservation among the general masses in a mall in Islamabad here on Wednesday.

The Students of NUST Environment Club & NUST Institute of Environmental Sciences & Engineering informed citizens about future impacts and threats of water scarcity. Students communicated to people that primary issue is the lack of dams to store water – of the 145 million acre feet of water the country receives during a year only around 13.7 million acre feet can be saved. Storage is only one aspect of the water crisis and students urged people that they should donate for dams.

Recurring heat waves that claim lives are becoming more common every year in the country while the winters are getting shorter and less cold due to the undeniable effects of global warming. Coupled with worsening water shortage the combination will be lethal and claim many more lives in the coming years. Students also provided some tips to general public like turning the tap off whilst brushing their teeth that can save 06 litres of water. Turn off the tap while washing their hands, shorten the shower by minute or two and one can save up to 150 gallons per month have maintenance personnel regularly check facilities for leaks, drips and other water waste, watering the garden with a watering can, washing the pets outdoor in area of the lawn that needs water, select the proper pan size for cooking, Large pans may require more cooking water than necessary and using the signs at home or office to create more awareness and promote water saving.

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