Sustainable water management in urban areas of Pakistan: challenges and future policy directions

Abstract

Urban water management challenges in Pakistan are intensifying due to the rapid urbanization, increasing population, rising demand for limited water resources, climate change and inadequate infrastructure. The issues of water insecurity and unsustainable urban development are growing because of water scarcity, depleting groundwater reserves, poor water quality, urban flooding and lack of water governance. This review consolidates the assessment of sustainable management of urban water resources in Pakistan from various perspectives considering the challenges, lessons learnt from novel water management approaches, and the policy priority for fortifying water resilience at urban level. In this paper, a detailed review has been carried out considering the latest literature published during 2018 to 2025 including articles, reports and policy documents of national and international organizations. Four thematic areas (urban water management challenges, sustainable management approaches, international experiences and policy implications) were chosen and used in a synthesis of relevant studies from the following key academic databases. The review revealed a very complex matrix of urban water issues which can only be tackled through a sectoral approach. This paradox of urban water is caused by the urbanization which exacerbates the groundwater depletion and urban flood vulnerability. Furthermore, water security and climate resilience are further compromised by inadequate institutional collaboration, obsolete infrastructure and weak governance and wastewater treatment. Optimizing water resource management requires sustainable design of urban development, governmental reforms and climatic adaptation. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), Nature Based Solutions (NbS), wastewater reuse, rainwater harvesting, managed aquifer recharge and smart water technologies have great potential for urban water sustainability. The review finds that the governance system in Pakistan needs to be climate resilient, resource efficient and integrated to improve the water security and resilience of cities.