s the sun set, our entourage journeyed through the modest dunes, arriving in Thar’s Meghwar village near Umerkot, renowned as the birthplace of Emperor Akbar. The hardships faced by the women of this region have persisted through generations.

From a young age, girls are forced to walk miles under the scorching sun to fetch water for their families and livestock.

Climate change has exacerbated the situation, with less rainfall and dwindling water levels. Women bear the brunt of this crisis, spending their entire day collecting water from far-flung dug wells.

The Thar desert in Pakistan is grappling with a severe water crisis, significantly impacting the lives of its inhabitants. Administratively divided into Tharparkar and Umerkot districts, it faces acute water scarcity due to the absence of rivers and canal irrigation networks, causing a heavy reliance on groundwater.

Once a burdensome task, trekking miles to fetch water under the unforgiving sun has now transformed into a simpler endeavour in the small village of Meghwar. With each drop of clean water, the health and well-being of the community have improved, marking a profound shift in their lives.

Parveen, a housewife and mother of two from Meghwar, spoke of consuming contaminated water. “My children frequently suffered from diarrhoea, skin diseases and other ailments. I also developed joint pain and backaches. However, since getting clean water from a solar-powered water filtration plant, the situation has improved not only for our family but also for other residents in the area,” she noted.

Coca-Cola established a solar-powered filtration plant in Meghwar village. With 800 households nearby, the plant can provide 1,000 litres of clean water per hour using an ultrafiltration system. To enhance sustainability, the facility is equipped with solar panels, GPS technology and flow meters. The initiative is crucial, especially for women who previously had to walk five kilometres for water.

Aisha Sarwari, senior director of public affairs at Coca-Cola-Pakistan, emphasised the importance of access to clean drinking water, particularly for women and children. “Pakistani women struggle with access to clean drinking water nationwide, especially in arid areas. Their children often fall sick due to gastrointestinal diseases. This initiative is a small step towards sustainably solving this massive issue.”

The #WaterForWomen Programme, under the Paani Project, has already served around 17 million people across 53 plants in Pakistan. The initiative aims to empower women and communities by providing clean drinking water, thereby improving their health, education and economic opportunities.

The installation of a water filtration plant has become a catalyst for positive change in a small village, offering sustainable solutions to age-old challenges. Its impact resonates deeply in the community, fostering health, empowerment and resilience.

According to a 2023 report by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources, Tharparkar district’s groundwater is a crucial resource for drinking, domestic use, livestock and small-scale agriculture. A majority of the residents depend on far-flung dug wells, often using donkeys or camels to pull buckets of water from these deep wells. This arduous task consumes most of their day, especially during the dry season, with women bearing the most of this burden.

It further stated that 69 per cent of the district’s groundwater is highly saline, while only 6 per cent is usable. Moreover, 10 per cent of water samples contain arsenic exceeding the World Health Organisation’s permissible limit.

https://pcrwr.gov.pk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Beneath-the-Sands-Groundwater-Study-in-Tharparkar-Region.pdf

Conditions in Umerkot district are not different from district Tharparkar. At depths exceeding 200 m, groundwater quality is consistently highly saline, affecting approximately 99 per cent of the area. The high groundwater salinity in this region is attributed to several factors, including erratic rainfall, aridity, high temperature, high evaporation losses and limited groundwater recharge.

“We live in a desert, so water scarcity is akin to a drought. Our women walk four kilometres daily to fetch water, disrupting household routines and placing an extra burden on girls and women. However, the installation of a reverse osmosis plant has provided community members relief. They can now access clean water almost at their doorstep,“ said Nand Lal Meghwar, a community leader and social worker, highlighting the severe water scarcity issues facing his community.

As climate change accelerates, water shortages have become a pressing issue, particularly in arid regions where communities struggle to access clean water. The impact of prolonged droughts and unpredictable weather patterns has exacerbated the scarcity, putting immense pressure on the populations, particularly in a country like Pakistan which is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change.

The United Nations Institute of Water, Environment and Health report has placed Pakistan among countries in the “critically water insecure” category.

“My name is Sania. I am a resident of the Meghwar colony and a student in fourth grade at a local school. I used to fetch water for my family and livestock from a distant source. This daily task greatly hindered my studies. Having clean water available near our home is like a dream come true. It has allowing me to attend school regularly and focus on my education.”

Innovative green solutions, such as the installation of solar-powered water filtration systems and rainwater harvesting, are critical in addressing these challenges. These sustainable technologies not only provide immediate relief by ensuring a reliable supply of clean water but also promote environmental conservation, helping to mitigate the long-term effects of climate change. The urgent need for such green initiatives has never been more apparent as we seek to secure a resilient and sustainable future for all.

The installation of a water filtration plant has become a catalyst for positive change in a small village, offering sustainable solutions to age-old challenges. Its impact resonates deeply in the community, fostering health, empowerment and resilience.

As we witness the transformation rippling through the village, it is evident that investments in environmentally conscious initiatives not only safeguard precious resources but also pave the way for a more vibrant and sustainable future for all.

The author is a Karachi-based journalist. She tweets @ asifaidris