Students observe sustainable water solutions

The Institute of Urbanism (IoU) Tuesday organised field visits to different sustainable water solutions implemented in various areas of the federal capital to get the ground-based experience of innovations adopted to manage water as a natural resource facing pressure due to environmental degradation and urbanisation.

The IoU and the School of Leadership Foundation (SoLF), in collaboration with the US embassy, have taken a bold stride towards fostering sustainable urban growth through the launch of the Green Urban Development Project.

This initiative’s inaugural phase is geared towards nurturing inventive concepts and endeavours among students from Quaid-e-Azam University. This innovative endeavour encompasses a blend of expert-led indoor sessions and insightful outdoor excursions to explore nature-based solutions.

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By merging theoretical learning with practical encounters, the Green Urban Development School (GUDS) furnishes students with essential skills and first-hand insights, nurturing the seeds of their future entrepreneurial endeavours for an eco-friendlier future.

With the world grappling with pressing environmental challenges, water conservation has assumed paramount importance. Innovative solutions, particularly those rooted in nature, have risen as a beacon of hope.

Techniques like underground water recharge wells, rainwater harvesting, soak water pits, rooftop water tanks, and water purification methods form vital pillars in the journey towards sustainable water management.

GUDS participants embarked on three enlightening visits to gain a comprehensive understanding of sustainable water solutions. On the first visit, participants explored Kachnar Park located in Sector I-8, witnessing the pilot artificial groundwater recharge well, a vital solution in the face of water scarcity and climate-induced flash floods.

Addressing these challenges head-on, the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) in Islamabad has initiated an artificial groundwater recharge well at Kachnar Park, Sector I-8.

On the second visit to PCRWR Headquarters, the participants witnessed practical demonstrations of various rainwater harvesting techniques.

During these explorations, the team discovered ingenious rainwater concepts that ingeniously blend nature with modern technology. Rooftop tanks emerged as pivotal water reservoirs atop urban buildings, capable of capturing more than 70 per cent of rooftop rainwater.

The third visit took them to a state-of-the-art Sewerage Water Treatment Plant managed by a private housing society. The participants gained hands-on insights into the wastewater treatment process, which has a daily capacity of 600,000 gallons, where 150,000 to 200,000 gallons are used for watering plants within the housing society.

These visits not only provided participants with practical knowledge but also ignited their enthusiasm for contributing to urban resilience through tangible solutions.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2023.