Running out of water

In many residential areas in the country, people have figured out a way to get water without having to rely on the government. And the best way to do so is to install boring machines to extract groundwater for daily use. In Karachi, water shortages are a norm, with people relying on private tankers to meet their water needs. As privately run water tankers ask for whatever prices they deem fit, and with life becoming increasingly difficult financially, people look for alternatives. Extracting groundwater seems a cost-effective solution. Once an initial investment is made, people are free to use as much water as they want. Groundwater extraction is also common in cities in Punjab where, according to several NGOs, linewater is contaminated with bacteria carrying serious diseases. The government’s response to this has been silence – at both the federal and provincial levels.

Now that people have been left on their own, the consequences of this unchecked usage are becoming more pronounced. A report by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) highlights the alarmingly high levels of extraction in the country. Although there are some discrepancies in data provided by the PCRWR and another meeting will be held to discuss the problem, the fact is that Pakistan is fast losing its groundwater. And while it may be easier to put the blame on the people for this, the government is much more responsible for this alarming situation. Had the government been quick at meeting people’s domestic water needs, they may not have turned to water extraction. Besides people, commercial places also rely on groundwater to meet their needs.

Water companies in our country have been given the licence to exploit natural resources against a nominal fee and make money. Many private companies have also started this ‘water business’ to make quick money. In all this, people seem to forget that this planet has limited resources and that it could soon run out if they are not used wisely. Our unbridled use of natural gas has brought us to a point of hours-long gas loadshedding. We have already learnt to live without linewater and shifted to groundwater; we cannot lose this lone source of water now as well. Neighbourhoods where this is a usual practice and homes that have access to an uninterrupted supply of water use it rather carelessly. The government should work towards ensuring that linewater is available in every area and that people do not have to drill their backyards to get water. Only timely measures can help Pakistan from losing out on the most important natural resource there is. The concept of recycling waste water is also foreign to the country. Since our water woes will only be worsened by climate change, we will need to get serious about tackling this existential issue. Pakistan is one of the countries that will be most affected by the melting of glaciers. Already we have seen increased flooding in recent years but that is only a preview of what is to come. Should we continue down the same path, we are staring at a darker and thirstier future.