Causes and Effects of Water Crisis

Causes and effects of
water crisis
Causes of water crisis;-
Climate changes
Overuse of water
Industrialization and urbanization
Water pollution
Reservoirs shortage capacity
Global warming
Overuse of water;-
 Pakistan has the world’s fourth-highest rate of water usage.

 The per capita water availability has reduced from 5000 cubic meter per
year to around 1000 per year in last five years.
 At the individual level, we waste water carelessly while;
 Washing cars/bikes at homes and service station
 Most of the farmlands in the country are irrigated through a canal system
and according to IMF, this canal water is vastly underpriced and recovers
only one-quarter of annual operating and maintenance costs.
 It was recently revealed in court hearing that Lahore waste management
company washes the Lahore city road with drinkable water wasting 30,500
liter everyday.
Climate changes:-
 In Pakistan, water scarcity has been accompanied by an extreme rise in

temperature.
 As temperature is increasing day by day due to global warming; glaciers
melt rapidly and we have no reservoirs to store water so every year huge
amount of water is wasted in this way.
Pakistan rainfall pattern is already that of high magnitude and low

frequency which mean we have more rains for shorter time which does not
help percolation and rise the ground water level.
 The higher temperature throughout country will increase water demand as
well as evaporation.
Reservoirs storage capacity:-
 Tarbela and Mangla dams, the two major water reservoirs in Pakistan
reached dead level recently. These two big reservoirs can save water for
only 30 days, and on the other hand India can store water for 190 days
while the USA can do the same for 900 days.
 Chashma, Mangla, and Tarbela are primarily use for irrigation purposes and
also to provide electricity to a nation of nearly 199 million people. The gross
capacity of these dams has reduced because of sedimentation, a
continual process.
 Pakistan receives around 145 million acre feet of water every year but can
only save 13.7 million acre feet. Pakistan needs 40 million acre feet of water
but 29 million acre feet of our floodwater is wasted because we have few
dams.
Situation of Khanpur dam
Rawal dam is also dry that supply water to Islamabad
Urbanization and industrialization:-
 Increased industrial use of water is a another major cause of water scarcity. The
dams constructed for urban water supply are inadequate because of the increasing
population.
 Large amount of water is used or wasted by industries and this water usage is
increasing day by day.
 The uncontrolled utilization of natural resources to supply to the water demands of
the ever-growing population has brought about worldwide scarcity.
Water pollution:-
 Contamination of water bodies ,mainly by agriculture , industrial and

domestic waste.
 Harmful chemical waste in waste water will pollute the water sources if it is
directly discharged into lakes , rivers and oceans. Oil spill on the ground,
waste water leakage from landfills can seep underground and may pollute
the groundwater making it unfit for human consumption.
 Increase use of insecticide , pesticides and fertilizers also increasing water
pollution day by day.
Global warming:-
 Increase in average temperature of the earth surface will cause glaciers to

melt at faster rate.
 If all the glaciers are melted away, it is very difficult to be resorted and the
population rely on glaciers to get fresh water will experience water scarcity.
 Pakistan is house of more than 5000 glaciers which feed Indus river in
summer and monsoon. In 2013 Federal minister of science and technology
Zahid Hamid stated, ”glaciers in Pakistan are continuously melting down
because of rising temperature and by the year 2035 country will have no
water reservoir in the shape of glaciers.”
Effect of water crisis:-
 Health issues
 Impact on economy
 Dispute among provinces
 Agriculture issues
 Disappearance of wetland
 poverty
Health issues:-
 social impacts of water crisis in Pakistan , primarily involved public safety,

health problems. It has also reduced the quality of life. Unsafe drinking
water is responsible for several diseases including cholera, malaria,
dysentery, diarrhea, typhoid and gastroenteritis.
 Water scarcity is also threat to mental health problem such as depression
Impact on economy:-
 Impact on economy / society Less water means less agricultural yields and
to fulfill the food requirements of the nation, we will be dependent on other
countries. Due to less production of main crops, which are wheat, cotton,
sugar cane and rice, the Industries related to them will suffer adversely.
 Less agriculture output will compel people to head toward urban areas for
job , which will increase unemployment further.
Disappearance of wetland:-
 Water scarcity lead to reduction in wetland water area and causes
destruction of ecological balance Water Shortage of surface water has put
tremendous pressure on ground water.
 Due to drought and more dependency on ground water for irrigation, the
water table will go down, and this will cause disappearance of wetland.
Livestock problems:-
 Raising livestock is the main source of livelihood of rural areas. It is also an

important economic activity, which contributes 9.7% of GDP, will be
affected due to shortage of water.
Dispute among provinces:-
 The worst impact of water shortage is that it is creating bitter controversy

among the provinces, which is affecting the national integration and
creating disharmony between provinces.
 The distribution of water is controlled from the centre by IRSA (Indus River
System Authority) as per 1991 agreement between the provinces. Now the
shortage of water will cause disputes between the provinces, which may
cause harm to the national integrity.
Poverty:-
 Due to water shortage agriculture will be affected as it mainly based on

water.
 Most of industries use raw material obtained from agriculture , due to
shortage of raw material our industries will also be affected and economic
activities will also slow down and this will result in increasing unemployment
rate.

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Causes and Effects of Water Crisis

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Causes and effects of

 Pakistan has the world’s fourth-highest rate of water usage.

 In Pakistan, water scarcity has been accompanied by an extreme rise in

Pakistan rainfall pattern is already that of high magnitude and low

 Contamination of water bodies ,mainly by agriculture , industrial and

 Increase in average temperature of the earth surface will cause glaciers to

 social impacts of water crisis in Pakistan , primarily involved public safety,

 Raising livestock is the main source of livelihood of rural areas. It is also an

 The worst impact of water shortage is that it is creating bitter controversy

 Due to water shortage agriculture will be affected as it mainly based on

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