ADB warns population surge is deepening Pakistan’s water crisis

ISLAMABAD: Rapid population growth, climate change, and weak water management are intensifying pressure on Pakistan’s already stressed water resources, leaving the country increasingly water-insecure in both quality and quantity, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has warned.

In the latest edition of its Asian Water Development Outlook, the ADB notes that more than 80 per cent of Pakistan’s population still lacks access to safe drinking water, despite limited improvements over the past decade. The report highlights widespread waterborne diseases, overextraction of groundwater for agriculture, and growing arsenic contamination as major concerns.

Climate-related risks, including erratic monsoons, glacial melt, floods, and droughts, continue to compound the crisis. The 2022 floods, which displaced millions, exposed serious gaps in resilience. Meanwhile, upstream water control and infrastructure challenges pose ongoing threats to the Indus River system, Pakistan’s primary water lifeline. Per capita water availability has fallen sharply, from 3,500 cubic metres in 1972 to about 1,100 cubic metres in 2020.

Rural water security remains fragile due to ineffective service models, weak monitoring, and persistent contamination, although some gains have been recorded in hygiene and health outcomes. Urban areas have seen modest progress, but rising demand, untreated wastewater, flooding, and aging infrastructure continue to strain water services.

The report notes a moderate improvement in Pakistan’s overall water security score between 2013 and 2025, alongside better water governance performance under SDG 6.5.1. However, implementation gaps persist due to institutional fragmentation, limited coordination, low technical capacity, and underinvestment.

While praising the National Water Policy introduced in 2018, the ADB cautioned that weak execution has limited its impact. It stressed the need for stronger coordination under the National Water Council, volumetric water pricing, improved environmental regulation, gender and social inclusion, and the establishment of an independent federal authority to monitor water quality.

Despite a significant rise in WASH funding in recent years, Pakistan still faces a large financing gap to meet SDG targets for safe water and sanitation. Without sustained investment, effective governance, and community engagement, the ADB warned, progress in water security will remain uneven and difficult to sustain.