FOR years, we have been wasting water on a massive scale. Our population is booming and the weather is shifting, but we are still farming lil(e it is the 1950s. We use outdated methods that waste billions of gallons, while our neighbours build dams that could cut off our supply. Look around our cities and factories, and you will see water leaking from most pipelines. Millions of gallons are wasted every day.
Industrial units pour out huge quantities of water through their processes, while chemical by-products and wastewater from treatment plants often go untreated and unused.
Even routine tasks, like car washing, housekeeping and floor cleaning, consume far more water than necessary. And, let us not forget the reverse osmosis (RO) plants that regenerate and flush away tonnes of water. It is a silent crisis happening right under our noses.
Farming is the heart of Pal(istan, but it consumes most of our water. The old-school flood irrigation technique loses more water than it saves. Simple upgrades like drip irrigation, and fixing leaky canals can save our crops and our water. We have a massive coastline, but we barely use it.
While the rest of the world turns bracl(ish seawater into fresh drinking water through desalination, we ignore this option. It is expensive, but with our future on the line, it is time to start looking at the ocean as our lifeline.
History shows us that great civilisations in the world built dams and reservoirs.
We need to build more dams, and treat water like the treasure it is. If we act smart now through education, better practices, and a shared sense of responsibility water will be our strength. But, given thepace of water depletion, if we ignore it, the water crisis could be the biggest challenge we have ever faced. The choice is ours.
Ahsan Ul Haq Shaikh Chunian