Pakistan Faces Severe Groundwater Crisis, Warns PCRWR Report
Groundwater reserves have declined by over 5.66% in the past eight years, with Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa hit hardest by depletion.
Pakistan is grappling with an escalating crisis in its underground water reserves, with fears that water levels may drop even further across the country, according to a recent report from the Pakistan Council for Research on Water Resources (PCRWR).
The report disclosed a concerning decline of over 5.66% in the nation’s groundwater over the last eight years, raising alarms about future water shortages.
The PCRWR report provided a detailed breakdown of groundwater depletion in different provinces. Punjab, the country’s largest province, has seen a sharp decrease in its reserves, with 22.84% of the region now entirely without groundwater. Furthermore, 36.17% of Punjab is on the verge of depleting its underground water completely.
The report also highlighted the reduction in water levels at varying depths. Groundwater within five feet of the surface in Punjab has dropped by 3.2%, leaving just 0.48% of reserves intact. The water supply between five and 10 feet deep has fallen more dramatically, with a 10.94% reduction, while reserves at depths of 10 to 20 feet have decreased by 2%, now comprising 34.07% of the total.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is also facing severe water scarcity, with 32.96% of its underground water already depleted. Additionally, 41.94% of the province is nearing the complete exhaustion of its reserves.
Sindh and Balochistan, by comparison, have experienced less severe depletion. Only 0.03% of their groundwater has been completely exhausted, but 0.39% is nearing critical levels. Groundwater within five feet has remained relatively stable, with only a 1.23% reduction. However, water reserves between five and 10 feet are critically low at 65.54%, while reserves at depths of 10 to 20 feet have seen a slight increase, now at 32.72%.
The PCRWR report emphasizes the urgent need for sustainable water management strategies to address the rapid decline in the country’s underground water reserves.
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