INTRODUCTION

In absence of any reliable and financially viable surface water source in and around Quetta the City is mainly dependent on groundwater resources. Overexploitation of groundwater due to rapid urbanization and ever- increasing water demand coupled with significant water losses through leakages in water supply network made it necessary to improve monitoring and management of the natural groundwater resources and the municipal water distribution system. It is also critical to develop a financially and environmentally sustainable and technically feasible plan to augment the water supplies through surface water resources in conjunction with the groundwater. These pathways to improve water security in Quetta can be undertaken in parallel. That is, while interventions are undertaken to improve quality of water services based on existing water availability and watershed management is pursued to increase groundwater recharge, the next generation of surface water conveyance infrastructure to increase water availability to Quetta can be prepared, appraised, and made investment-ready for financing.

While exploring the new surface water resources it is also essential to minimize the transmission losses by repairing/replacing the outlived and leaking water distribution network and taking measures to enhance groundwater recharging through watershed management

As the city is currently facing a complex issue of water availability for its around 3 million inhabitants due to over exploitation of its major water source that is the groundwater, the Government of Balochistan is apprehensive about the situation and has planned to undertake study to explore ways and means to meet the current and future water requirement of Quetta city. The World Bank Management has also extended its assistance and facilitation to the Government of Balochistan in preparing the project on fast track, thereby allowing to utilize part of the saving within the sanctioned loan amount of ongoing Balochistan Integrated Water Resource Development and Management (BIWRMDP), for preparation of a project to improve the water supply situation in Quetta. This project is aimed at enhancing the water supply and narrowing down the gap between demand and supply of water in Quetta valley by improving efficiency of supply and managing demand. In addition to improve the water supply position in Quetta the other objective of the proposed interventions is the environmental and public health improvement in the city by starting a dedicated sanitation and wastewater management program.