ADB Reports Pakistan’s Escalating Crisis of Water Insecurity

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan continues to grapple with severe water insecurity, with more than 80 percent of its population lacking access to clean drinking water, according to the Asian Development Bank’s latest Asian Water Development Outlook (AWDO).

The report, considered the region’s most comprehensive assessment of water security, highlights that both the quality and quantity of water remain critical issues, despite minor improvements over the past 12 years.

The ADB attributes the growing pressure on Pakistan’s water resources to rapid population growth, climate change, and poor water management. “More than 80 percent of the population lacks access to safe drinking water, contributing to widespread waterborne diseases. Groundwater overuse in agriculture has led to depletion and arsenic contamination,” the report notes.

Climate-related hazards. including erratic monsoons, glacial melt, and floods, have further strained the country’s water systems. The 2022 floods, for example, displaced millions.

Meanwhile, upstream water control and infrastructure challenges continue to threaten the Indus River system, Pakistan’s main water source. Per capita water availability has plummeted from 3,500 cubic metres in 1972 to just 1,100 cubic metres in 2020.

Rural household water security remains under pressure due to ineffective service models, limited surveillance, and persistent contamination, even as some improvements in hygiene and health outcomes have been observed. “Economic water security is constrained by falling per capita water availability, insufficient storage, and heavy reliance on poorly monitored groundwater resources for industrial activity,” the ADB said.

Urban water security has seen only modest gains, with rising demand, untreated wastewater, and urban flooding putting additional pressure on infrastructure and service delivery. Environmental water security has declined slightly, as rapid population growth, industrial activity, and untreated wastewater continue to degrade aquatic ecosystems.

Water-related disaster security fell in the early part of the review period and has remained stagnant, with Pakistan experiencing major flood and drought events, including glacial lake outburst floods. Overall, Pakistan’s national water security score improved moderately from 2013 to 2025 by 6.4 points.

Water governance performance, measured through SDG 6.5.1, rose from 50 percent in 2017 to 63 percent in 2023. This progress reflects a sound legal and policy foundation aligned with Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) principles, but implementation remains weak. The report points to institutional fragmentation, limited coordination, low technical capacity, and underinvestment as ongoing barriers, especially as population pressures and climate risks mount.

The ADB praised Pakistan’s National Water Policy, announced in 2018, but noted that the gap between planning and execution has limited its impact. Efforts to improve equity, participation, and resilience are underway but require stronger integration across sectors and levels of government. “Without more coordinated and well-financed governance, gains in water security will remain uneven and difficult to sustain,” the report warned.

The ADB recommended strengthening institutional coordination under the National Water Council, introducing volumetric pricing to promote efficiency and investment, embedding gender, equity, and social inclusion in decision-making, establishing an independent water quality authority, and expanding environmental regulation and ecosystem protection.

The analysis is based on five key dimensions. Rural household water security improved from 4.1 in 2013 to 7.6 this year, mainly due to gains in hygiene and health outcomes supported by targeted water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs and handwashing campaigns during Covid-19.

However, rural water supply models remain ineffective, and surveillance is limited. Microbiological and geogenic contamination are widespread, and policies have not kept pace with growing rural demand.

Economic water security remained almost unchanged, increasing slightly from 9.1 in 2013 to 10 this year. Progress in broader economic resilience was offset by water scarcity and inefficient systems, with agriculture, industry, and energy sectors all facing water-related constraints.

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Urban water security showed stronger gains, rising from 7.5 in 2013 to 9.2 this year. Access to services improved slowly, but urban utilities remain under pressure from a 10 percent annual increase in demand. Weak infrastructure, low tariffs, and poor cost recovery continue to be the underlying issues.

Environmental water security declined slightly, dropping from 9.6 in 2013 to 9.2 in 2025. Population growth, urban expansion, and untreated wastewater are all contributing to the risk of freshwater ecosystems. Despite stronger legal frameworks, enforcement remains weak, and aquatic ecosystems, including the Indus River, wetlands, and marine zones, face increasing degradation.

Water-related disaster security improved slightly between 2013 and 2025, rising from 10.8 to 11.5, despite severe events such as the 2022 floods, which affected over 24 million people and exposed critical gaps in resilience. Early-warning systems have strengthened, but investment in adaptive infrastructure and local risk reduction remains insufficient. Prolonged droughts continue to threaten food security, especially for smallholder farmers.

Despite a 152 percent increase in WASH funding between 2019 and 2023, Pakistan still faces a significant gap, falling short of the estimated $12.3 billion needed to meet SDG targets 6.1 and 6.2. Without stronger institutional frameworks and community participation, rural gains will remain uneven and fragile, the report concludes.