LAHORE: PepsiCo in collaboration with the WWF Pakistan has launched a project in the provincial metropolis 'Community Water Stewardship: Replenishing Groundwater Resources in Lahore.'

Some of the key focus areas of the project are: Recharge Wells, Rainwater Harvesting Systems and Floating Treatment Wetlands. These interventions are being installed in the PepsiCo's Snacks Plant watershed in the Sundar Industrial Estate, with a focus on both urban housing schemes and rural settings.

The project is being implemented with the endorsement of key government institutions; Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) and Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR).

One of the key locations for the project is Manak Village comprising of about 700-800 households. Manak village is experiencing a sinking water table and deteriorating water quality due to over abstraction and inundated sewage water.

In the pilot phase of the project, two 'Rainwater Harvesting Systems' have been installed to offset the use of groundwater during the rainy season these are in addition to two 'Floating Treatment Wetlands' which will improve the water quality in wetlands adjacent to the village, making it safe for agricultural use and aquaculture. These interventions have been designed to replenish 10 million litres of water annually which will be scaled up to 27 million liters by 2021. The scaling up phase will include the installation of more than 50 Rainwater harvesting systems in Manak and nearby villages.

The project has a keen focus on community sensitization about the need to conserve and improve their groundwater quality by adopting best practices and reducing their water footprint. Going forward, phase II of the project will see an expansion of the four interventions in Bhai Kot village and Sundar Industrial Estate.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020