Browsing by Author "Aslam, M. Rizwan"

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Linkages between Irrigation and Drinking Water in Pakistan
(2002) Ensink, Jeroen H. J.; Aslam, M. Rizwan; Konradsen, Flemming; Jensen, Peter K.; Van Der Hoek, Wim
"From 1998 to 2002, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) conducted different studies on the linkages between irrigation water management and health in the southern Punjab, Pakistan. This paper presents the findings of the studies on water quality and domestic water use."
Strategies to Mitigate Secondary Salinization in the Indus Basin of Pakistan: A Selective Review
(2006) Aslam, M. Rizwan; Prathapar, S. A.
"The Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS) of Pakistan serves an area of 16 million hectares (Mha) and distributes 172 billion cubic meters (BCM) of river water per year. With the introduction of IBIS, groundwater levels rose at a rate of 15 to 75 cm per year. The capillary up-flow from shallow water tables and evapotranspiration concentrate the salt, which salanizes the soil and water. In areas where river water is unavailable and groundwater of marginal quality is used for irrigation, evapotranspiration leads to sodicity. Estimates of losses due to salinization are 28,000 to 40,000 ha of land and about US$230 million (PRs 14,000 million) of revenue per year. An area of about 2 Mha is estimated to be salinized at present. "In response, researchers, policymakers, agency personnel and farmers in Pakistan have continuously devised strategies to mitigate secondary salinization. These can be categorized into on-farm and off-farm strategies. On-farm strategies include: (a) improved irrigation practices; (b) deficit irrigation; (c) change in land use; (d) agroforestry and biological-drainage; (e) mechanical cultivation; (f) use of chemical amendments; (g) use of skimming wells for irrigation water; and (h) conjunctive water use. Off-farm strategies include: (a) participatory irrigation system management; (b) improving reliability of canal water; (c) selective maintenance of irrigation and drainage infrastructure; (d) revision of water allocation rules currently in place; and (e) drainage measures at sub-regional and regional levels. "This report discusses the nature and causes of secondary salinization, reviews strategies developed and tested within IBIS to mitigate salinization, and identifies areas requiring further investigation."
Urban Wastewater: A Valuable Resource for Agriculture A Case Study from Haroonabad, Pakistan
(2002) Van Der Hoek, Wim; ul Hassan, Mehmood; Ensink, Jeroen H. J.; Feenstra, Sabiena; Raschid-Sally, Liqa; Munir, Sarfraz; Aslam, M. Rizwan; Ali, Nazim; Hussain, Raheela; Matsuno, Yutaka
"Farming communities in water-scarce regions increasingly practice the use of urban wastewater in agriculture. Untreated urban wastewater is generally considered unacceptable for direct use because of potential health risks. However, in many parts of the world, poor farmers in peri-urban areas use untreated wastewater. This practice is likely to continue in the foreseeable future due to the high investment cost associated with the installation of treatment facilities. In order to systematically document the advantages and disadvantages of using untreated urban wastewater, a case study was undertaken in Haroonabad, which is a small town in the southern Punjab in Pakistan. Information on costs and benefits associated with wastewater use was obtained by monitoring a group of 20 wastewater farmers and a group of 20 non-wastewater farmers over a one-year period. Water and nutrient applications and the quality of groundwater and soil were investigated in nine fields, of which some were irrigated with wastewater and others with regular canal water. To assess the human health impacts, a comparison was done between a settlement where wastewater irrigation was practiced and one where regular canal water was used. "The greatest benefit for farmers using wastewater was the reliable water supply, which allowed them to grow high-value vegetable crops. However, water and nutrient applications to wastewater-irrigated fields were excessive in relation to the recommended values. From this we can deduce that, with the improved distribution of wastewater, more farmers could benefit from the water and the nutrients it contains. Although there were signs of accumulation of heavy metals in wastewater-irrigated soils, the values did not exceed internationally recommended standards. However, there were negative health impacts, especially in the form of an increased prevalence of hookworm infections among wastewater farmers. "Irrigation with untreated wastewater is practiced in most cities in Pakistan because of its high productivity. Wastewater use also has an indirect benefit associated with the reduction of pollutants discharged into natural watercourses. The study concludes that there is a need to identify methods to prevent or lower the health risks associated with the use of untreated urban wastewater while maintaining or increasing its socioeconomic and environmental benefits under the prevailing social and economic conditions."
Use of Untreated Wastewater in Peri-Urban Agriculture in Pakistan: Risks and Opportunities
(2002) Ensink, Jeroen H. J.; Van Der Hoek, Wim; Matsuno, Yutaka; Munir, Sarfraz; Aslam, M. Rizwan
"The practice of using untreated wastewater for irrigation is widespread but has been largely ignored because the norm has always been that wastewater should be treated before use. Increasing water scarcity, lack of money for treatment and a clear willingness by farmers to use untreated wastewater have led to an uncontrolled expansion of wastewater use. It is therefore important to better document the practice of irrigation with untreated wastewater in order to find out how it could be improved within the financial possibilities of very low-income countries. The town of Haroonabad in Pakistan's arid southern Punjab was selected for a case study on the costs and benefits of the use of untreated wastewater for irrigation. The study looked at health, environment and socioeconomic aspects of irrigation with untreated wastewater. This report deals with the environmental aspects of the study. The objectives of the study were: -To identify the environmental impacts of wastewater use in a small town in Pakistan. -To estimate water and nutrient application efficiencies and suggest ways to make better use of wastewater as a resource."