What is water?

Water is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance,

which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere, and the fluids of most living organisms. It
is vital for all known forms of life, even though it provides no calories or organic nutrients.
Its chemical formula is H2O, meaning that each of its molecules contains one oxygen and
two hydrogen atoms, connected by covalent bonds. Water is the name of the liquid state of H2O
at standard ambient temperature and pressure. It forms precipitation in the form
of rain and aerosols in the form of fog. Clouds are formed from suspended droplets of water
and ice, its solid state. When finely divided, crystalline ice may precipitate in the form of snow.
The gaseous state of water is steam or water vapor.

Water covers 71% of the Earth's surface, mostly in seas and oceans.[1] Small portions of water

occur groundwater (1.7%), in the glaciers and the ice caps of Antarctica and Greenland (1.7%),
and in the air as vapor, clouds (formed of ice and liquid water suspended in air),
and precipitation (0.001%)

Water plays an important role in the world economy. Approximately 70% of the freshwater used
by humans goes to agriculture. Fishing in salt and fresh water bodies is a major source of food
for many parts of the world. Much of long-distance trade of commodities  and manufactured
products is transported by boats through seas, rivers, lakes, and canals. Large quantities of
water, ice, and steam are used for cooling and heating, in industry and homes. Water is an
excellent solvent for a wide variety of substances both mineral and organic; as such it is widely
used in industrial processes, and in cooking and washing. Water, ice and snow are also central to
many sports and other forms of entertainment, such as swimming, pleasure boating, boat
racing, surfing, sport fishing, diving, ice skating and skiing.
Fresh water storage
Water occurs as both "stocks" and "flows." Water can be stored as lakes, water vapor,
groundwater or "aquifers," and ice and snow. Of the total volume of global freshwater, an
estimated 69 percent is stored in glaciers and permanent snow cover; 30 percent is in
groundwater; and the remaining 1 percent in lakes, rivers, the atmosphere, and biota. The length
of time water remains in storage is highly variable: some aquifers consist of water stored over
thousands of years but lake volumes may fluctuate on a seasonal basis, decreasing during dry
periods and increasing during wet ones. A substantial fraction of the water supply for some
regions consists of water extracted from water stored in stocks, and when withdrawals exceed
recharge, stocks decrease. By some estimates, as much as 30 percent of total water used for
irrigation comes from unsustainable withdrawals of groundwater, causing groundwater
depletion.

Water in Pakistan:
The historical background of the issue irradiates that at the time of partition of sub continent
when the province of the Punjab was divided into two parts i.e. the Western Punjab and the
Eastern Punjab, the former was linked with Pakistan and the latter remained with India, it gave
rise to a serious dispute about the distribution of water between the two states. The two main
rivers Ravi and Sutlej along with their respective headworks of Madhopur and Ferozpur were in
East Punjab. India claimed that it had complete right over these rivers as they originated from
Indian Territory and their respective head works were in India. While Pakistan claimed that
under the international law it had a right, to the water of Rivers Ravi and Sutlej as its economy
was dependent on it. 

Later on the water dispute was resolved through a treaty, named “Indus Water Treaty” in 1960
with the mediation of the World Bank. Through which Pakistan succeeded in managing the
scarcity of water by building alternatives i.e. various barrages, link canals and huge dams likes
Terbella and Mangla but at the same time it was deprived off from its official right over three
rivers; Ravi, Sutlej and Beas, as they were given to India and Pakistan was given its full right
over the other three rivers i.e. Indus, Jhelum and the Chenab. The main gain for Pakistan at the
time was that India could not legally interfere with the water coming through the Indus, Jhelum
and Chenab.

Pakistan designed and built Mangla Dam on river Jhelum, keeping in view the assurances made
by India in “Indus water Treaty”. But India backed out of its promises and assurances and started
constructing a barrage named “Wullar Barrage” on the same river i.e. Jhelum in its occupied
valley of Kashmir. Pakistan protested against the construction of the barrage and argued that it
was not only against the provisions of the Indus Water Treaty but also had serious ramifications
for its economy. India claimed that the project would only regulate water flow in the river
Jhelum and was beneficial to the hydro electric power projects downstream in both sides of the
valley. After several rounds of talks between both the parties, an agreement was drafted on the
dispute, which would allow India to build the Barrage but under specified conditions regarding
the quantum of water to be resorted and released.

The population of Pakistan, which has increased up to a level where a vast gulf between the
consumers and the available resources exists. As more population requires per person more
amount of between increasing population and decreasing water quantity.
On the other hand the government of Pakistan did a little to overcome and to manage the existing
and the coming severe scarcity of water which has resulted in the form of drought in many parts
of the country.

Impact of water on Pakistan:

After the Indus Basin Treaty with India, water of only two rivers i.e. Jhelum and Chenab is
available to Pakistan while the availability of water in the remaining three rivers i.e. Ravi, Sutlej
and Bias depends on the will of India.
The construction of dams and barrages by India over River Chenab and River Jhelum in
violation of the Indus Basin Treaty created the problem of water shortage for Pakistan which is
becoming more and more severe with the passage of time. According to the UNO Report,
Pakistan is at the 7th position in the list of countries, which are facing water crisis. Presently,
Pakistan has a surface water of 153 MAF and underground water resources of only 24 MAF and
Pakistan may face water shortage of 33 MAF during the year, 2025.
The population of Pakistan is increasing at a rate of 3.2%. Presently, we have to feed more the
200 million people and if population increase rate remains the same, then it will be almost
double by the year,2025 and hence, the consumption of the underground water will also add to
the problem which will be further aggravated due to factors such as global warming and other
climate changes.

Study of Pakistan Counsel of Research on the water resources of Pakistan (PCRWR) revealed
that rapid depletion of ground water may soon worsen the water crisis in Pakistan’s major cities,
causing a drought-like situation. Such crisis needs to be taken on war footings; otherwise, a large
section of Pakistan’s population, especially those living in big cities, will be facing severe
shortage of water.

Due to excessive pumping of underground water, the quality of underground water is being
contaminated rapidly with heavy metals like Copper, Nickel and Cobalt etc, which are the causes
of spread of Hepatitis in the people of Pakistan, especially in those living in big cities.
The alarming drop in water level has also led to a serious shortfall in hydal power. And these are
genuine apprehensions if the situation lingers on for some time more, the energy crisis would
deepen as soon as the water level goes further down in Mangla and Tarbela.
Water shortage has badly affected the agricultural sector of Pakistan which heavily depends on
agro based economy. The agricultural lands of the Punjab and Sindh mostly depend on canal
water irrigation because in some areas underground water is brackish. Present water crisis, if
allowed to continue, would reduce the production of wheat, rice and sugarcane etc. Briefly water
crisis in the country has spread deep concern. The shortage is threatening to create famine like
condition across Pakistan.
The direct impacts of water crises in Pakistan have reduced crop, range land, forest productivity
and water level. On the other hand, it has increased livestock, wildlife and human beings
mortality rates and damaged the wildlife and fish habitats. Direct or primary impacts become so
diffuse that it’s very difficult to come up with financial estimates of damages.
There are also some social impacts of water crisis in Pakistan, which have mainly involved
public safety, health problems, and conflicts between the provinces over water usage. It has also
reduced the quality of life.
Environmental losses in Pakistan are the result of damages to plant and animal species, wildlife,
air and water quality, degradation of landscape quality, the loss of biodiversity and the social
erosion, caused by the drought.
The demography of Pakistan has also changed due to migration of affected population to the
already over populated cities. It may increase pressure on the social infrastructure of the country
which may enhance poverty, social unrest and ethnicity.

River Indus
Water as a part of our social society:
Around 62 percent of Pakistan’s urban and 84 percent of its rural population does not treat their
water, resulting in 100 million cases of diarrheal diseases registered in hospitals, with 40 percent
of deaths attributed to drinking polluted water.
Unsafe drinking water is a source of many diseases including
diarrhea, typhoid, intestinal worms and hepatitis and an estimated 250,000 child deaths occur
each year in Pakistan due to water-borne diseases. It is estimated that more than 1.6 million
DALYs (Disability
Adjusted Life Years) are lost annually as a result of death and ailment due to diarrhea and almost
90,000 as a result of typhoid.

The United Nations has estimated that up to 3.5 million children are at high risk from deadly
water-borne diseases in Pakistan as a result of the country’s devastating flood of 2010. In terms
of financial loss, the country is bearing Rs.112 billion per year as water, sanitation and hygiene-
related diseases cost more than Rs. 300 million per day to treat.

To evaluate the drinking water quality of Islamabad, drinking water samples had been collected
from schools and colleges. Analysis showed that 20 samples out of 30 were contaminated with
fecal microbes and not fit for drinking purposes. Microbial contamination is the most common
and widespread risk associated with drinking water. About 130 samples were collected from nine
areas to analyze microbial contamination in drinking water of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. 56.1%
of water samples were found to have microbial contamination. Microbial contamination for fecal
coli forms, E. coli, and total coli forms was 23.8%, 20%, and 12.3%, respectively. The WASA
supply lines were highly contaminated followed by capital development authority lines and
boring water and less contamination was found in tanker water ,while thirty-two samples were
collected from different water filtration plants throughout Islamabad city and it was found that
more than half of the samples were contaminated with total coli form, fecal coli form, and E
coli .

Faisalabad is known as polluted industrial city due to the inadequate treatment facilities. The
impact on water resources near Samundri drain in Faisalabad showed that the ground water
quality was the worst as 90% of samples were above the WHO limits with respect to TDS, Na,
K, Cl, and SO4 . The people’s perception of rural areas in a tehsil Samundri, district Faisalabad,
was that the water quality of different sources, that is, hand and electric pumps, and was poor.

Chemical and biological analyses of drinking water samples collected from three different sites
in Faisalabad showed that pH was found within the range according to WHO standards and
electrical conductivity was found above the permissible limits. Higher electrical conductivity
(EC) is due to the dissolution of subsoil minerals and leaching into ground water. Bacteria were
also found in water samples which showed fecal contamination. All these analyses indicate that
water is not fit for drinking purposes . The concentration of As and coliform bacteria was above
the threshold level in samples collected from different sources in University of Punjab, Lahore.
Water quality monitoring was carried out to access chlorination of supply lines in Cantonment
area, Rawalpindi. The temperature of all samples was above the critical values as recommended
by WHOM. Water temperature is an important factor for microbial growth. The pH and total
dissolved solids are within range of US-EPA and WHO limits and similar to the results of.
Conductivity and chlorine residuals were also found within limits of WHOM. Total dissolved
solids and conductivity have a direct relation: as concentration of mineral salts increases,
conductivity increases. Microbial analysis indicated the presence of fecal coli form in all
samples collected from both sites.