Water scarcity is a reality - don't waste it!

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has issued an appeal in the daily newspapers that residents should use water sparingly as there is a serious shortage of water in the capital - and in Rawalpindi, I may add! Will anyone pay heed to this appeal or will it be business as usual? The fact is that those who can afford to will pay for their water, while everyone else will have to go to depend on the official supply which may or may not deliver. Sadly no effort has been made by the government to store rain water or build small dams which would have served a better purpose than expensive bus and train services.

Everywhere you look, scenes like the one in the photograph are common wherever people do not have running water facilities at home, or they are not enough to meet the family's needs. This situation will get worse when summer comes. When - and if - the taps flow, there will be a long queue waiting to fill the receptacles and carry home the precious commodity. Placed in order of 'first come, first served' the pile of utensils does not look very regular and in order, so hopefully there will be no squabbles of who came first! There are many reported incidents of fights over water and sometimes these can be quite violent and lead to one or the other - or even a whole lot of antagonists - landing up in hospital!

Despite the fact that people have trouble getting water, a lot of wastage takes place while it is being used, not only by those who have little access to it but also those who have plenty. Taps are left on while dishes are being washed; leaking taps and other utensils are not replaced or fixed; washing cars unnecessarily; using water thirsty grass for lawns; taking long showers; leaking toilets; poor irrigation practices and most of all, not utilising waste water for plants and lawns and other uses. This water can be treated and sanitized and can be used safely, leaving potable water for drinking and personal use. I read that in many countries - even those who have plenty of water at the moment, it is mandatory to have a built in waste water system in every house and that is a good idea we can adopt.

An awareness campaign should be part of the public service messages our TV channels are supposed to broadcast but seldom do. It is only when we all make an effort that results will be seen or there will be 'water wars' in future!