By :Murtaza Tareen
Quetta, the heart of Balochistan, is choking on thirst. Once a city of flowing springs and verdant orchards, it now faces a dire drinking water crisis that threatens the survival of its 1.56 million residents. For families in areas like Spiny Road or Saryab, Nawa killi ,Jinnah town sorrunding fetching a single bucket of clean water often means hours of travel or exorbitant payments to the tanker mafia, which controls 80% of Quetta’s water supply. With groundwater levels plummeting and contamination rising, the city teeters on the edge of a humanitarian disaster. If we do not act now, Quetta risks becoming unlivable within a decade. It is time for the government, communities, and citizens to unite to secure our city’s lifeline.The crisis is stark. Quetta’s water table drops 3–5 feet annually, drained by 24,000 unregulated tube wells and worsened by scant rainfall—less than 50 millimeters yearly since 2013. The city’s daily water demand of 61 million gallons is met with a meager 34.8 million gallons, leaving millions reliant on costly, often contaminated, tanker water. High fluoride levels and sewage pollution have triggered health crises, from cholera outbreaks in Dera Bugti to chronic illnesses affecting thousands. Hana Lake lies desolate, and traditional karez systems are nearly extinct, stark symbols of a city running dry.This crisis stems from neglect, mismanagement, and environmental strain. Unchecked tube wells and stalled projects like the Kechi Canal, meant to irrigate 713,000 acres but mired in delays, reflect systemic failures. Rapid urbanization and a growing population exacerbate the strain, while climate change slashes rainfall. The Water Apportionment Accord of 1991, granting Balochistan just 3.66% of Indus River water, remains a distant promise, leaving farmers and residents at the mercy of dwindling aquifers. Meanwhile, influential groups secure water access, while ordinary citizens face empty taps.Hope, however, is not lost. The Public Health Engineering Department’s restoration of 50 filtration plants in Quetta and the recent committee formed to tackle fluoride contamination are commendable steps. Grassroots efforts, like the Balochistan Youth Action Committee’s water advocacy summit in May 2025 and the HOPE Organization’s push for projects in the 2025–26 PSDP, show the power of community resolve. These efforts must be amplified. The government should fast-track the Kechi Canal, build new dams like Burj Aziz, and regulate tube wells with an iron hand. Citizens must embrace rainwater harvesting and conservation, while funds like the $17.5 million Reko Diq royalties should be transparently invested in water infrastructure. Quetta, the “Fruit Garden of Pakistan,” can bloom again, but only through collective action. We urge residents to join conservation campaigns, support local advocacy, and demand accountability from authorities. Policymakers must prioritize water security in the provincial budget, ensuring projects are completed without corruption. The media and civil society must amplify this crisis, giving voice to the voiceless. As Governor Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhail warned, Quetta’s groundwater could vanish in 5–8 years. Will we let our city’s lifeline run dry, or will we rise to save it? The time to act is now.
