ASSIGNMENT- I

Question 1
Identify what you think are your community’s primary current water concerns. What
are the nation’s and the world’s most significant water resources conflicts and issues
today?
SOLUTION

PRIMARY CURRENT WATER CONCERNS OF MY RESIDENT COMMUNITY

SECTOR I-8 ISLAMABAD
1. Sector I-8 Islamabad has been divided into four sub-sectors that comprise
primarily of residential units with a commercial area designated in each. This sector
also houses a main market in its center with infrastructure between one to eight
storey in height. Being a resident of Sector I-8 Islamabad, following water related
issues can be termed as crucial for local community as observed by myself over the
past few years
a. Water Supply The main sources of water supply to Islamabad
city are reservoirs at Simly and Khanpur along with few tube wells. The peak
value of water produced from these sources is 84 million gallons per day
(MGD), which reduces to 62 million gallons per day. A water shortage of
approximately 106 MGD is encountered in most parts of the year as the
average demand of the city is 176 MGD (CDA, n.d.). Water is supplied on
rationing basis in the sector for a limited time period. Specially during the
summer season there is high demand of water due to increased usage and
water is supplied in limited quantity on specified timings to households. This
results in high demand of paid water tankers for replenishing the storage
tanks of households in order to meet the daily usage of water. A study
carried out by Ahmed et al.,(2022) on 190 units comprising of 146
households & 44 commercial units at Sector I-8 Islamabad revealed the
following data regarding water supply and distribution to the sector.

Table 1: Water distribution duration – Sector I-8

Water Supply Households Remarks

Duration

Municipal water ½ hr – 1hr per day 79 %

supply 2 hrs 1%
(96 % of 146 households
having municipal water Households attached
No specific duration 20 %
supply connection donkey pumps
installed)
Table 2: Households’ expenditure on purchase of water from water tankers – Sector I-8

No 1000 – 2001 – 4001 – More

Expenditure 2000 4000 6000 than
(Rs) (Rs) (Rs) 8000
(Rs)
Households
expenditure
40 % 43 % 6% 3% 8%
(Purchase of water
from water tankers)

b. Water Quality A study carried out by Pakistan Council of

Research in Water Resources at 24 locations of Islamabad for monitoring the
water quality showed that 29 % of the sources were contaminated and not
suitable for drinking primarily due to presence of bacteria and iron (Fe)
(Rasheed et al., 2021). Despite of the conventional treatment methods such
as chlorination, filtration sedimentation etc. adopted to make water potable of
the main reservoirs of Simly and Khanpur, yet the microbial contamination
encountered makes the supply of safe drinking water questionable. Same
can be applied to the water being supplied to Sector I-8 Islamabad which
effects the utilization of supplied water for drinking purpose. Community
users are forced to rethink use of drinking water from the source supplied
and look for other options available thus entailing additional expenditures. In
a study conducted by Ahmed et al., (2022) on 146 households of I-8 Markaz ,
the following information is revealed regarding use and quality of drinking
water.

Table 3: Households’ source of drinking water– Sector I-8

Bottled Water Government Filtration Government Direct

Plants Water Supply
Households
Drinking water 42 % 40 % 8%
source

Table 4: Households’ expenditure on purchase of bottled water for drinking– Sector I-8

No 1 – 1000 4001 – 6000

Expenditure (Rs) (Rs)
Households expenditure 27% 28 % 42 %
(Purchase of bottled water for
 drinking)
c. Water Conservation After imposition of fines by Government on
excessive use of water for washing cars in households, such activity has
been curbed to a greater extent in Sector I-8. However, car washing stations
operating in the sector are utilizing excessive freshwater supplied which
needs reevaluation. More awareness is required to be instilled to the local
community for adopting of household and daily activities according to the
water resource quantity being supplied and distributed.

2. Based on the analysis of above water concerns of my community it is evident

that additional expenditures by household consumers on purchase of bottled water
and water tankers can be minimized or eliminated if water supply services are
improved by government sector and instead consumers can be charged in lieu of
quality services provided.

PAKISTAN’s MOST SIGNIFICANT WATER RESOURCE CONFLICTS

3. Provincial Disputes The five water issues over which differences
cropped up between provinces are identified as: -

a. Water distribution amongst the provinces Till 1991, all provinces

were given share of water on the basis of historical calculation made during
1977-82. Punjab received 51.6% share; Sindh 41.4%, NWFP 5%, and
Baluchistan Province 2%, according to this calculation. The Water Accord was
signed in 1991 after the approval by the Council of Common Interests. In
order to promote inter provincial harmony and implement the Water Apportion
Accord-1991 in true letter and spirit an organization was set up, which again
has been agreed upon in the said accord. Indus River System Authority with
its headquarters in Lahore was established in 1993. However, the IRSA
headquarters was shifted to Islamabad in 2001 for the sake of evolving mutual
trust. IRSA constituted of five members, one from federal government and
others from each province. Chairman was chosen among the members in
alphabetical order for one year. Main role of IRSA was the implementation of
the accord. Water supplies were released by WAPDA from the reservoirs
based on sharing distribution given by IRSA (Bhatti & Farooq, 2014).For a
decade IRSA functioned smoothly but later on water fell short due to
sedimentation in Mangla and Tarbela reservoirs and it failed to supply water to all
the provinces as per requirement. The Indus water accord became
controversial as the provinces accused each other of more utilization or unequal
distribution. Adhoc distribution of water was adopted uptil 1999 as sufficient water
was available but after 1999 due to reduction in availability of water distribution
was carried out as per historical water use of 1977-1982. Although proportional
sharing of shortages was accounted for in Water Accord of 1991 but Baluchistan
and KPK were exempted from this by an act passed in 2003.This resulted in
sharing of deficiencies in water supply by only Punjab and Sindh thus creating
disharmony between the provinces (Condon et al., 2014). Furthermore, after
18th amendment provinces were empowered in policy and decision making as
each province had its own department for irrigation, water supply and
sanitation. Whereas surface and subsurface water resources became the
subject of federal government and same required to be managed by National
Water Policy 2018. This is often conflicting and difficult to implement when
compared to the provincial empowerment explained above.
b. Escapades of water in Kotri’s downstream Sindh fears that little or
no water shall escape downstream Kotri to Arabian Sea especially after
construction of Greater Thal Canal. This implies serious ecological, economic
and social consequences. This will also destroy the mangroves and allow sea
water to intrude into the Indus Delta.
c. Construction of Greater Thal Canal (Phase-II) in Punjab Thal
Canal, like Rainy and Catchy canals, is a flood-water canal and has been
mentioned in the 1991 accord which was approved by the IRSA in May 2002.
Sindh asserts that water from the Indus River system is not being allocated
according to para 2 of Water Apportionment Act which states that if water is
allocated to provinces according to the principle set out in para 2 of the WAA,
all projects mentioned in the WAA could be implemented. Since para 2 of the
Accord is not being implemented, due to shortage of water, Sindh asserts, the
construction of GTC could potentially exacerbate water shortages in Sindh.
d. Filling of Mangla Dam during Apr-May Sindh has the objection
that water is stopped during the months of April – May, once they are in the
dire need of it for crops, on the plea of filling up of Mangla Dam.
e. Construction of dams on River Indus and its tributaries Sindh is
of the view that while considering the proposals of construction of future
reservoirs, the foremost thing is to ascertain reliable surplus water availability
for storage's after accounting for all the existing uses, including water accord-
1991 allocations.
(1) KPK apprehensions
(a) Aggravation of flood risk in River Kabul due to
sedimentation
(b) Water logging and salinity in Swabi and Mardan.
(c) Dislocation of large population.
(d) Fear that fertile cultivatable land will be submerged
(2) Sindh Apprehensions
 (a) Non Availability of Surplus Water to be stored in
Kalabagh Dam
(b) Threat to Indus Basin due to intrusion of sea water into
the estuary
(c) Threat to Mangrove Forests
(d) Anxiety that Sindh will be converted into Desert
(e) Fear that there will be shortage of drinking water and
Fishery Production
4. Transboundary Water Issues with Neighboring Counties Despite the
fact that the Indus Water Treaty has served both India and Pakistan for last 62 years
yet it has been a bone of contention between the two countries. India is developing
water reservoirs for storage purposes and other hydraulic structures which may
result in breaching of points agreed upon by both countries in future. Pakistan is not
keeping up pace with the current need of development of water reservoirs on
downstream in its area and thus suffers both during floods and water scarce climatic
conditions. Pakistan also shares water with Afghanistan. River Kabul and its
Tributaries, River Kurram, Gomal, Pashin Lora, Kaisar, Kandai, and River Kand flow
from Afghanistan to Pakistan. Their accumulated discharge is more than the inflow of
River Jhelum. Afghanistan has already under taken a few projects on tributaries of
River Kabul. Mahipar, Naghlu, Sarobi, Darunta and Madan Sahar projects already
stand completed, whereas, there is substantial potential of harnessing more
hydroelectric and irrigation projects. Kama Project located 13 Km from Kabul with
445000 AF capacity, was actively being considered in River Kabul besides causing
11% reduction in power generation. If Afghan Government decides to undertake
more projects in future on rivers flowing into Pakistan, then these will have adverse
effects on water uses already being made in our country.

WORLD’S MOST SIGNIFICANT WATER RESOURCE CONFLICTS

5. According to UNESCO the present interstate conflicts are enlisted as follows
a. Middle East
(1) Water disputes emanating from Tigris & Euphrates Rivers
among Turkey, Syria and Iraq
(2) Jordan River conflict among Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, and the
State of Palestine
b. Africa
(1) Nile River-related conflicts among Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan
c. Central Asia
 (1) Aral Sea conflict among Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan,
Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan
Question 2
Discuss the water resources of Indus Basin and construct a water budget by using
available data from the internet
WATER RESOURCES OF INDUS BASIN
1. The Indus Basin spans over an area of approximately 1,125,000 km2 and
covers region incorporating four countries including Pakistan, North Western India,
Eastern Afghanistan and South Western China. 7 major rivers comprise the Indus
i.e. Indus, Chenab, Jhelum, Kabul, Sutlej, Ravi and Beas (Shah et al., 2018).

Figure 1: The Indus Basin of Pakistan

Source : (Tamaddun et al., 2018)

Pakistan and India utilize 60% and 25% of the water of the Indus basin respectively
(Fao, n.d.). “The Indus Waster Treaty” was signed between the two countries in 1960
in order to judiciously use the water of Indus Basin. This treaty gave Pakistan the
water of three western tributaries i.e. Indus, Jhelum and Chenab whereas India was
given the water of three eastern rivers namely Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. The Indus
Basin Irrigation System (IBIS) of Pakistan is one of the biggest agriculture and water
system framework with around 146 MAF yearly stream of the Indus bowl. This
supply based system comprises of two major storage reservoirs i.e. Mangla and
Tarbela . Also this water system houses 19 barrages, 12 canals and 45 canal
commands. Overall an area of 16.2 million hectares is inundated by a system of
canals with approx. 60000 km length and 120000 water courses (Hashmi et al.,
2022).
2. Mangla Reservoir is located on the upper Jhelum River. Capacity of the
reservoir was increased in 2009 to 9.24 km3 (7.49 MAF). Tarbela Reservoir is
located on the Indus River. Active storage capacity of the reservoir is 6.849 MAF
which provides irrigation water and hydroelectric power generation. Chashma
Reservoir is considered as a balance reservoir as it has significantly less capacity at
approximately 0.5 MAF. Chashma is located on the Indus River downstream of
Tarbela. Mangla, Tarbela and Chashma are the first major pieces of water
management infrastructure used to regulate irrigation waters and provide
hydroelectric power generation to Pakistan. The combined storage off all three main
reservoirs on the Indus River is 14.84 MAF and this active storage volume is
reducing on average by approximately 0.8% per year due to sedimentation. The 15
barrages and associated canals, in conjunction with the 3 reservoirs Tarbela and
Mangla and Chashma form the key operational infrastructure of the Indus used to
manage the distribution of water (Shah et al., 2018).
 WATER BUDGET OF INDUS BASIN

Mean Annual River Flows

Flow to the Sea River System Losses

33 Billion M3 12 Billion M3

Mean Annual Canal Diversions

130 Billion M3

Canal Losses
33 Billion M3

Canal Supplies at watercourse head

97 Billion M3

Watercourse Losses
29 Billion M3

Canal Supplies at Farm Gate

68 Billion M3

Groundwater Contribution
60 Billion M3

Irrigation water at Farm Gate

128 Billion M3

Field Channel Losses

13 Billion M3
Irrigation water at Field Level
115 Billion M3
Field Application Losses
29 Billion M3

Irrigation water for crop consumption use

86 billion M3

Rainfall Contribution
16 Billion M3
 Total water available for crop consumptive use
102 billion M3
Figure 2 : Source ((Laghari et al., 2012);(Hussain et al., 2011)

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