In Quetta, the capital of Pakistan's Balochistan province, water is running dry. The rapidly depleting groundwater is making life difficult for those living in the city. DW looks at what's behind the ongoing challenges.

Quetta

Quetta, the capital of Pakistan's Balochistan province, is experiencing a deepening water crisis as residents face daily uncertainty over access to water. The city requires about 60 million gallons of water each day, but authorities are only able to provide half that amount, forcing many households to purchase expensive water from private sources.

The situation is compounded by falling underground water levels due to low rainfall and the region's challenging geography. Additionally, a significant portion of Quetta's drinking water contains dangerously high levels of fluoride, posing health risks. Experts recommend restructuring the city's water management system and centralizing distribution to address the crisis.

Pakistan: Quetta's deepening water crisis

For people in Quetta, every day starts with the same concern, will there be water? Shazia Bibi's family is one of many households struggling to make ends meet and now buying water has turned into an additional burden. You know about the cost. It has become so expensive. People are paying for their household expenses or filling up the tanks. The city of more than 1.5 million people needs roughly 60 million gallons of water every day but the Water and Sanitation Authority, the department responsible for the city's water supply, is only able to provide about half. It is estimated that around 30,000 tube wells operate across the city, nearly half of them unregistered. Unlike other regions of Pakistan, Quetta relies almost entirely on underground water but the levels have dropped to alarming depths. This is made worse by low rainfall. Quetta is the capital of Balochistan, Pakistan's largest and most sparsely populated province. The region faces severe water shortages because of its geography and climate. The crisis isn't limited to water shortages. A study found that nearly half of Quetta's drinking water contains dangerously high levels of fluoride. This makes water unsafe for consumption and contributes to serious health problems. Experts say Quetta's fragmented water management system needs to be restructured. Bringing all water distribution under one central authority could help streamline supply and planning. For more UN videos visit www.un.org

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