Rainwater harvesting for climate resilience in Pakistan is essential to address increasing water scarcity and climate variability. In this UNEP CTCN project, WaveSave supports the development of scalable rainwater harvesting solutions to improve water security, strengthen local resilience, and enable sustainable water management.
Pakistan faces critical water security issues, with per capita annual water availability below 1,000 cubic meters—significantly under the global water security threshold. Despite sufficient seasonal rainfall in many areas, the absence of effective rainwater harvesting infrastructure results in massive water wastage, while unsustainable groundwater extraction depletes aquifers. Urban centers like Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad lack integrated water management systems to capture, store, and utilize water.
The goal of the project was to design and develop scalable, sustainable rainwater harvesting systems for urban and agricultural settings in Pakistan, while creating a blueprint and project proposal for nationwide implementation to enhance water security and climate resilience.
WaveSave delivered an integrated water management solution through five strategic components:
This rainwater harvesting climate resilience Pakistan approach supports both rural and urban water management strategies. This approach can be further enhanced through data-driven platforms such as WaveCore, enabling monitoring, optimisation, and scaling of water solutions over time.
Primary client is the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) with financial support by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
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Location: PMAS-Arid Agriculture University (Rawalpindi) and PCRWR Building (Lahore)
Timeline: 2024 – 2025
By applying rainwater harvesting for climate resilience in Pakistan, local communities can reduce dependency on unreliable water sources, through:
The project aligns with international climate adaptation and water management frameworks supported by organizations such as UNEP, CTCN, and FAO.
Climate change is increasing water scarcity and variability in many regions, including Pakistan. Rainwater harvesting provides a practical and scalable solution to capture, store, and reuse water during periods of rainfall.
By reducing dependence on external water sources, rainwater harvesting strengthens local resilience, supports agricultural productivity, and improves access to water in both rural and urban areas.
When combined with structured implementation strategies and scalable systems, rainwater harvesting becomes a key component of long-term climate adaptation and sustainable water management.
SLAMDAM is a mobile flood barrier designed to provide rapid and effective flood protection. Unlike traditional flood defenses, SLAMDAM can be deployed quickly.
Deployed 200 m of SLAMDAM in less than 2 hours to prevent glacier-melt flooding.
Local teams were trained in deploying and managing SLAMDAM and the early warning system.
Enhanced early flood warning with integrated monitoring and communication tools.
Reduced flood damage to homes and protected 250 hectares of farmland.
Enhanced early flood warning with integrated monitoring and communication tools.
Increased long-term flood resilience through community empowerment and scalable technology
What our clients say
The SLAMDAM project has successfully demonstrated how innovative flood barriers can protect vulnerable areas in Gilgit-Baltistan, offering a sustainable solution for flood management..
Head of Water Resources & Glaciology, Islamabad,
Pakistan
SLAMDAM has transformed our community’s resilience to floods. With the technology and training, we now feel empowered to protect our homes and livelihoods.
Community Leader Passu Community
The SLAMDAM project has successfully demonstrated how innovative flood barriers can protect vulnerable areas in Gilgit-Baltistan, offering a sustainable solution for flood management..
Head of Water Resources & Glaciology, Islamabad,
Pakistan
