Market Intelligence
Environmental Technology Equipment and Machinery Pakistan Environment and Natural Resources Quality Assurance Quality Management

Pakistan Water and Wastewater Infrastructure


Pakistan’s Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) in Lahore is moving forward with a major expansion of Lahore’s water and wastewater infrastructure, presenting over $1.05 billion in project opportunities for U.S. engineering, construction, technology, and project-management firms. The initiative is driven by rapid urbanization, environmental compliance requirements, and increasing pressure on existing wastewater systems.

Near-Term, Financed Opportunities ($563 million)

Four projects have secured or are in the final stages of securing financing from international financing and government development institutions, including the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Agence Française de Développement, and Danish International Development Agency. These include a 32.37 km trunk sewer system ($160 million), a 54 million gallons per day surface water treatment plant ($114 million), and two wastewater treatment plants at Babu Sabu ($190 million) and Kattar Bund ($82 million). Tendering windows span October 2025 to December 2026 and are expected to provide more predictable timelines for U.S. firms to prepare bids, identify and participate in consortium partnerships, or generate technology proposals.

Medium-Term Opportunities ($495M)

Two large-scale treatment plants, Mohlanwal (190 million gallons per day, $275 million) and Ferozpur Road (296 MGD, $220 million), have completed feasibility studies and are now seeking multilateral or donor-backed financing. These projects offer high-value prospects for U.S. providers of treatment technologies, sludge management systems, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA[CA1.1] [TM1.2]) solutions, and project management services, particularly as WASA aims to adopt modern, energy-efficient, and climate-resilient systems.

Strategic Considerations for U.S. Companies

  • Financing-backed projects reduce project risk and increase transparency, making them suitable for U.S. EPCs, OEMs, and consulting firms. They also significantly increase the likelihood that tenders will in fact advance towards final award for offerors.
  • Significant demand exists for advanced U.S. wastewater treatment and water management technologies, including, but not limited to, membrane filtration, nutrient removal, leak detection, automation, and energy-efficient pumping. U.S. solutions are perceived as high-quality and advanced in the market.
  • Pakistan’s development partners are encouraging competitive international bidding, increasing project transparency and bid evaluations, and creating openings for U.S. technology partnerships and supply-chain participation.Long tendering horizons provide ample time to develop local partnerships, a key factor in market entry.
  • Overall, these opportunities present a rare, large-scale opportunity for U.S. firms to enter or expand in a growing urban-water market supported by strong multilateral financing and clear procurement timelines.

 

Assistance from the U.S. Commercial Service

The U.S. Commercial Service in Pakistan offers standard as well as customized services and programs to help U.S. businesses succeed in the Pakistan market. For more information regarding programs, services, local trade events, and opportunities, U.S. firms may contact the U.S. Commercial Service Pakistan team at office.pakistan@trade.gov or reach out to your nearest local U.S. Commercial Service office in the United States.