NOT JUST A MANTRA: MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE ON URBAN WATER ISSUES IN LAHORE (PAKISTAN) Asif Mehmood
WASA & the Water Governance in Lahore Indicators Status Population 7 million (2010) 10 million (2025) Source Groundwater Coverage & Supply duration 89% of the population for 16-18 hours a day Demand-Supply Gap 40-70 MGDs Status of Utility WASA is a wing of LDA (urban planning body of Lahore). LDA reports to the city District Government, Lahore and Ministry of HUD&PHE. Water Tarrif PKR. 650 for 30-150 Sq.Yd houses PKR. 1050 for Sq.Yd 300 houses PKR. 1450 for Sq.Yd 600 house Domestic and metered Quality Public Utility Water not fit for drinking Infrastructure 3200 km/770km long supply lines 15 years old (especially in poor areas) 30% of the total connections are metered and the rest 70% are unmetered Financial Liablities The financial deficit: PKR 300 million. It has to pay PKR 3 billion to the Lahore Electric Power Supply Company (LESCO).
the Issues Urban Sprawl, Consumption Patterns and Resource Depletion Horizontal growth of Lahore Wasteful and unaccounted for Decreasing flow in Ravi and recharging the Issues
Quality of Water, Infrastructure and Public Health Concerns Dilapidated lines Municipal water not fit for human consumption
Water Agency: Institutional Matters, Sustainability and Equity Failed organization Tariff and liabilities Inequitable resource distribution
The question of private sector involvement Rationale: Low cost/no cost water is economically inefficient Developing countries are too poor to further subsidize water Cost recovery and pricing are really difficult for these countries Global Practices Mixed responses of success ( 1. Singapore, Phnom Penh and the Netherlands - Public sector utilities 2. Jamshedpur (India) and Manila (The Philippines) – Private sector ) The question of private sector involvement
towards Solutions Institutional Reforms: Autonomy, primacy for WASA Tariff Rationalization towards Solutions
Service Delivery: Focusing on Provision of Clean Drinking Water through WASA water shops especially in low income areas
The Sustainability of Water Resource: Refreshing the aquifer (Ravi River) public engagement
conclusion