Pakistan Water Wells

Absolute inequalities are greatest in countries with the largest spread between the richest and the poorest, such as Pakistan for hygiene.1 Despite the access of 91% to improved water sources, but 88% of the water supplied is unsafe.2 Pakistan is running out of fresh water at a high rate, it’s anticipated that it is likely to suffer a shortage of 31 million acre-feet of water by 2025. The shortfall will be devastating for a country with an agriculture-based economy. Approximately 95 % of fresh water is utilized for irrigation, and yet the country is achieving a lower per acre crop production. In addition, nearly 70% of Pakistan’s population is directly or indirectly associated with agriculture, which accounts for 26 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP).

Furthermore, the majority of the 25 million people not using a toilet live in poor rural households or insecure urban informal settlements.3 This makes them the most difficult to reach. Exponential population growth in Pakistan has also dramatically changed the calculus of water demand, resulting in a reduced water availability per capita. The shortage of access to clean drinking water is becoming grave concern in Pakistan where many health problems are caused by water not meeting the basic needs of people either because of scarcity or contamination. UMR works closely with poor rural villages in order to address this equity problem as well as accelerate the rural communities to catch up with their 2030 SDG targets.

UMR’s funded project has delivered 93 modified shallow wells, open surface wells, and shallow wells to approximately 393,000 rural beneficiaries. More than 10,000 Women, Children and Elders Accessed to the Clean Water by Construction of Deep Water Wells under Sanitation and Hygiene Program in Pakistan.

Below are most common examples of beneficiary feedback, indicative of general living conditions of the recipient population:

1. Hardships of in Getting Clean Drinking Water (Heat + Long Distance)

• Context: Tando Muhammad Khan District is a district in the southern part of Sindh province in Pakistan. Summers are the hottest in Tando Muhammad khan. Due to climatic change there have been drought in Tando Muhammad khan due to which day to day activities have become unattainable. The poor community of TM KHAN had already submitted applications to Muslim Aid Pakistan Field Office for providing safe drinking water. The humanitarian team constituted a committee for conducting the survey to confirm the place and community concerns for which the applications are received. Muslim Aid Pakistan Humanitarian team scrutinized the applications and gave the priority for the most deserve one. After the survey we hired a vendor along with labours and a digging machine. We monitored and evaluated the work regularly until completion.
• Testimony: The resident of Tando Muhammad khan expressed with gratitude that providing clean drinking water to the poor community is really praiseworthy services. He also added that before execution of this well the people were facing many hardships in getting clean drinking water by walking miles away and also there had been many problems.