Pakistan’s urban areas are notorious for their poor governance and lack of adequate services. This is particularly true for the country’s largest city, Karachi, but the problem is by no means limited to that metropolis alone. Lahore, for example, has recently come under scrutiny for its poor water quality and contamination issues.The Action Research Collective (ARC), a group that advocates for better urban service delivery, recently released a report detailing the extent of Lahore’s water crisis. The study found that water samples collected from 400 different locations revealed six major E.coli hotspots in the city. The neighbourhoods of Chungi Amer Sidhu, Charar, Kirianwala, Kharas Mohalla, Kot Khwaja Saeed and Mustafabad all showed evidence of faecal contamination in the water supply. In one of these neighbourhoods, more than a third of residents complained of gastro issues and skin infections in the preceding two weeks. Meanwhile, in Chungi, a staggering 45 per cent of water samples collected showed E.coli contamination.These findings are alarming, to say the least. They highlight the urgent need for Lahore’s authorities to take action to address the city’s water crisis. At the same time, they also underscore the broader challenges facing urban areas in Pakistan.One of the key issues is the opaque and centralised nature of governance in Pakistani cities. Too often, decision-making is concentrated in the hands of a small group of bureaucrats, leaving residents feeling powerless and excluded from the decision-making process. This can lead to a lack of accountability and transparency, which in turn can contribute to the mismanagement of essential services like water supply.Another problem is the lack of investment in infrastructure and public services. In many cases, urban areas in Pakistan are growing rapidly, but the government has failed to keep pace with this growth. As a result, residents are left without access to basic services like clean water, sanitation, and healthcare.These issues are not unique to Pakistan, of course. Many cities in developing countries struggle with similar challenges. However, the situation in Pakistan is particularly acute, and the consequences of urban mismanagement can be severe. In addition to the health risks posed by contaminated water, there are also economic and social consequences to consider. If cities are not able to provide their residents with basic services and infrastructure, this can hinder economic growth, exacerbate inequality, and fuel social unrest.So what can be done to address these challenges? One important step is to empower residents and local communities to participate in decision-making processes. This can be done through initiatives like participatory budgeting, which allows residents to have a say in how public funds are allocated. Another key approach is to invest in infrastructure and public services, with a particular focus on areas that have been historically neglected.Ultimately, though, the challenges facing urban areas in Pakistan are complex and multifaceted, and they require a sustained and coordinated effort from government, civil society, and the private sector. The recent report on Lahore’s water crisis is a stark reminder of just how urgent these challenges are. It is up to all of us to work together to ensure that Pakistan’s cities are able to provide their residents with the services and infrastructure they need to thrive.