Thanks to insufficient storage capacity and systemic losses, the waste is huge.
Globally, economic value of water is around $2 billion per maf.
Even if one halves that figure to $1 billion given Pakistan is a developing country, annual water loss comes to around $20 billion, or 7 percent of GDP!
What to talk of new dams, over time the storage capacity of existing dams has also eroded.
In a flood-exposed country like Pakistan, dams in strategic areas can also help in flood mitigation.
Besides, the country can save some rainwater, too, which currently goes to waste.
On the supply-side, building storage capacity of an additional 20 maf is critical.
Overall, water use in Pakistan is highly inefficient.
Such issues have been highlighted by BR Research earlier on various occasions.
While planners can expect a little help from China to expand storage capacity, the issue of looming water scarcity will not be solved until and unless all aspects of water management, including those on the demand-side, are also tackled.