ADB says over 80% of Pakistan’s population lacks access to safe drinking water

Pakistan’s Indus Basin Water System is facing increasing stress from upstream water controls, depleted groundwater, ageing infrastructure and widespread contamination, while over 80% of the population lacks access to safe drinking water, according to the latest Asian Water Development Outlook released by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The report warns that Pakistan remains a severely water-stressed country, with per capita water availability having fallen from 3,500 cubic metres in 1972 to just 1,100 cubic metres in 2020, far below the minimum safe threshold of 1,700 cubic metres. The ADB noted that rapid population growth, climate change and weak governance continue to intensify pressure on the country’s water resources.

“Upstream water control and infrastructure challenges continue to threaten the Indus River system, Pakistan’s lifeline,” the report stated, though the ADB did not comment on whether these upstream challenges were linked to Indian actions.

Pakistan’s overall water security score has remained largely stagnant across the 2016, 2020 and 2025 assessments, keeping the country in the “Engaged” category. The report said that despite Pakistan’s size and agricultural importance, progress has been held back by inefficiencies in water use, poor industrial performance and limited investment in infrastructure.

The ADB said that overuse of groundwater for agriculture has led to rapid depletion and arsenic contamination, while weak WASH systems continue to contribute to waterborne diseases. It pointed out that open defecation persists in many rural areas and service delivery models remain ineffective.

Infrastructure gaps remain severe. Pakistan’s drainage score stayed at the lowest level due to poor planning, limited investment, land conversion and rising exposure to flash floods. The report highlighted that water-related disaster security remains a major concern as rapid urban encroachment on floodplains continues to increase risk despite some improvements in early warning systems.

Urban water security recorded only modest gains, with rising demand, untreated wastewater and frequent flooding placing further strain on service delivery. Environmental water security has also weakened, with expanding industrial activity and untreated effluent degrading rivers and wetlands.

Rural household water security continues to face contamination risks and inadequate surveillance, although hygiene indicators have improved slightly in recent years. Economic water security remains constrained by falling per capita availability, insufficient storage and reliance on unregulated groundwater for industrial use.

Despite these challenges, Pakistan’s national water security score improved by 6.4 points between 2013 and 2025, while water governance indicators rose from 50% in 2017 to 63% in 2023. The ADB said this reflects a sound policy foundation, but implementation remains weak due to institutional fragmentation, limited coordination and underinvestment.

The lender noted that financing for water governance is still inadequate. Although WASH funding rose by 152% between 2019 and 2023, total allocations under the Public Sector Development Programme reached only Rs1.5 trillion, far below the Rs10–12 trillion needed over the next decade.

To improve water security, the ADB recommended stronger coordination under the National Water Council, adoption of volumetric pricing to promote efficient use, and the establishment of an independent water quality authority. It also called for greater environmental regulation, ecosystem protection and gender-inclusive decision-making.

At the regional level, the ADB report said South Asia faces intensifying heat, shifting rainfall and recurrent disasters, with 244 major floods, 104 droughts and 101 severe storms recorded between 2013 and 2023. Across Asia, countries will require $4 trillion in water-related investment between 2025 and 2040, but current budgets meet only 40% of this need, leaving an annual funding shortfall exceeding $150 billion.