WWF-P calls for rainwater strategy

Experts say storing, reusing rainwater can counter climate change, improve urban planning

With monsoon rains lashing Pakistan, the country should adopt integrated watershed management to counter the impacts of climate change, urged the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P) on Monday.

According to a WWF-P statement, climate change impacts coupled with the lack of effective water management and urban planning could cause environmental degradation, economic loss, political destabilisation and the outbreak of waterborne diseases.

Rainwater must be stored and reused in order to address the issues of urban and rural flooding, claimed the statement, adding that an effective response strategy should be devised and areas with high chances of flooding mapped as well.

Furthermore, it recommended that early warning systems be established, regular cleaning of drains carried out and traffic planning done to help properly manage rainwater. The statement also highlighted the damage caused by plastic waste accumulation in the existing drainage system.

Commenting on the recent downpours in Karachi, WWF-P director general Hammad Naqi Khan stated that due to the impacts of climate change, Pakistan was likely to witness uneven rainfall and heatwaves.

"To stop the wastage of rainwater, we should have effective water management systems in place," he said, adding that green belts in urban areas could help capture rainwater, while rooftop rainwater harvesting techniques as well as flood-water ponds and reservoirs should also be used.

Calling for a detailed analysis of the recent rainfall pattern in Karachi, Khan claimed, "By adopting small and large scale interventions, we can handle urban flooding and reduce the shocks of high intensity rainstorms."

According to WWF-P, despite Karachi being located on the coastal belt of Sindh, an initiative to recharge wells with rainwater could be adopted for growing vegetables and orchards in Malir and other fertile areas.

The conservation organisation is also developing a long-term programme, Recharge Pakistan, with the government's support. This project, to be implemented on the Indus River, will enhance the storage capacity of water bodies such as lakes and barrages, while boosting sustainable water management in local communities and, resultantly, creating livelihood opportunities. According to the WWF-P, the programme aims to use soft engineering strategies to maintain balance in the ecosystem.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 21^st, 2020.