Population growth to reduce water availability in future

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Population growth to reduce water availability in future

* Govt asked to establish WRA for water management

ISLAMABAD: The per capita water availability will reduce to 877 cubic meters by 2020 when the population increases to 204 million from current water position of 1038 cubic meters in 2010 with the population of 172 million, official data of WAPDA revealed.

Official data available with Daily Times revealed that water shortage is posing greatest threats to Pakistan as its water resources are fast disappearing and if appropriate measures are not taken, the problem will aggravate. According to WAPDA’s “Water challenges in Pakistan”, water availability was 5260 cubic meters per capita in 1951 when the population was 34 million. Whereas in 2010, the population has risen to 172 million and reduces the per capita water availability to 1038 cubic meters. The date further predicts that by the year 2025, the population of Pakistan is likely to reach 221 million and the per capita water availability will reduce to 809 cubic meters. According to FAO, 1000 cubic meters per capita is the threshold value.

The report recommended the government to create Water Regulatory Authority (WRA) consisting federal and provincial governments representatives and it will regulate optimum water use and balance in different basins under enabling legislation.

According to water accord allocation, the report revealed that the country needed 117.35 million acres feet (MAF) water for four federating units but on average they were receiving 104.23 MAF showing 11.18 percent shortfall for agriculture purposes.

The major reservoir capacities have decreased drastically due to sedimentation over the periods. Water storage capacity of Tarbela Dam was 9.69 MAF (1976) and it reduced to 6.77 MAF (30 percent reduction), the Mangla Dam storage capacity reduced to 4.54 MAF from initial 5.34 MAF - showing 15 percent reduction. While the storage capacity of Chashma reduced to 0.26 MAF from initial 0.72 MAF - showing 63 percent shortfall. Overall, the reservoirs capacities reduced to 11.57 MAF from original 15.75 MAF showing 27 percent reduction.

However, to increase storage capacities, WAPDA has carried out a number of developmental schemes, which would increase storage capacity by 13.62 MAF. These schemes include Mangla Dam Rising (2.88 MAF), Satpara Dam (0.05 MAF), Gomal Zam Dam (0.89 MAF) Kurram Tangi FATA (0.90 MAF), Diamer-Bhasha Dam to be complete by 2018 (6.40 MAF) and Small / Medium Dams (4.90 MAF).

According to the UNDP report, most of the glaciers will deplete in the next 50 years and if the situation is not brought under control immediately, it could lead to catastrophe. “Melting of glaciers is an alarming sign and there would be no water from glaciers after 2060, so there is a dire need of taking active steps to take the challenge,” a water expert told Daily Times. Water resources are shrinking at an alarming pace, and the increase in population is also growing at high ratio, one can forecast the future water crisis.

As we all know that now a days the country is facing a severe shortage of water. There are two main reasons, one is natural due to prolong drought—-which is beyond the control of man, and the other is gross negligence in the development and mismanagement of water resources. The average annual inflow of the Indus and its tributaries is 141.67 Maf, of which 97 percent was used in agriculture and the remaining 3 percent for domestic and industrial purposes, sources told this scribe. Out of 141.67 MAf, around 106 MAF was annually diverted into one of the largest but in-efficient irrigation system. The remaining 36 MAF went into the sea unused – reflecting a total loss.

The WAPDA’s report recommended the government for the establishment of replacement storages to increase water availability, minimise seepage losses especially in saline areas by canal lining to improve water situation. For optimum use of water in agriculture, it recommended the government to adopt modern method of irrigations like drip/sprinkler/rainwater harvesting/telemetry etc.

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