Addressing a crisis of this magnitude requires a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach known as Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). This means moving beyond siloed decision-making where the Ministry of Energy controls supply and other ministries control demand. Successful long-term mitigation involves substantial investment in modernizing urban water grids to reduce leakage (estimated to be very high), implementing national water pricing policies that discourage waste, and launching massive public awareness campaigns to shift cultural attitudes toward conservation. The technical and financial challenge is significant, but the cost of inaction—social unrest and economic collapse—is far greater.
