Identification of suitable sites for rainwater and storm water harvesting through spatial analysis and smart sustainable urban water infrastructure in Lahore, Pakistan

Sustainable and water-wise cities have an eco-friendly urban hydrological cycle (UHC). Unfortunately, the UHC of Pakistani cities does not remain eco-friendly. Pakistan lies within the influential area of the world's largest monsoon weather system. Cities like Lahore are simultaneously vulnerable to urban flooding and water scarcity due to extreme climate change events. Therefore, Pakistan's urban areas require Urban Water Infrastructural Transformation (UWIT), which can be achieved by identifying suitable Rainwater and Stormwater Harvesting Potential Sites (RSHPS). In this study, we conducted the spatial analysis to identify these RSHPS within Lahore city for 2020, utilizing the World View Water Index (WV-WI). The results show that there are 85.54 km(2) areas for RSRHPS in Lahore. Therefore, this study will serve as a snapshot for policymakers to simultaneously control the menace of water shortage and urban flooding.