I went to the local water filtration plant recently and saw a man washing his car using filtered water meant for human consumption. He kept filling a large bottle with the water and pouring it over the car. When I objected, he responded that he had done nothing wrong. Many might say that I am over-reacting, or this is ‘normal’ in Pakistan. The fact is that for a moment I also thought I was, but when I came home and did a little research, I got to know that the rough estimate of water that I had seen being wasted by that man at the filtration plant far exceeded the average amount of water people in Pakistan have per day.

According to reports released by the United Nations, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (Unicef), more than two billion people globally still lack access to safe drinking water. We always hear about the water crisis, but our behaviour suggests we are not serious about the matter in our daily choices.

I have seen individuals washing their vehicles from tap water, using a water-saving nozzle, which reduces wastage and does not involve drinking water. This is what a responsible approach looks like.

While industrial wastage is also a serious issue, it should not become an excuse for individual ignorance. We all have to take responsibility.

If we see people wasting drinking water just to shine their vehicles, we need to point that out to them. It is our responsibility to pass a better world to our generations.

Khaqan Ali Khan

Islamabad