Chapter 21 Challenges and Solutions for Sustainable Urban Water Management Yusra Mahfooz, Abdullah Yasar, Rameesha Tanveer, and Amt-ul-Bari Tabinda Abstract Water management has become a grave concern in recent years across the globe with high population growth and increasing urbanization. Water accessibility and availability are primary essential constraining aspects for crop production in agriculture. Water quality is deteriorating on regular basis due to anthropogenic activities, accumulation of heavy metals, urban flooding, coliform, water pollution, and water scarcity issues and violated the permissible limits of Provincial Water Quality Standards (PEQs). This chapter aims to critically discuss key challenges of urban water resource management and sustainable solutions to overcome water- related issues. Moreover, the current scenario of water management in Pakistan is also highlighted in a detailed manner for improving water use efficiency, water resource volume, proper guidelines, practical implications, and institutional framework. In this study, possible solutions are also provided in light of the current trend. In addition, various policies, action-oriented measures, and valuable strategies are attributed to combat urban water management issues, which will pave the way toward sustainable cities and green development. Keywords Urban water management · Water security · Sustainability · Urban flooding 21.1 Introduction Water is considered an essential resource for socioeconomic development of urban cities (Liu et al. 2019). With the increasing pressures on water resources, there is moderate competition for water consumption at natural, local, and global levels, both among the areas of the economy and between upstream and downstream systems. Rapid urbanization has produced many adverse issues including urban flooding, waterlogging, water pollution, and water security. In addition, urbanization has been resulted in the changes in land cover, which ultimately disturbs the hydrological cycle Y. Mahfooz · A. Yasar (B ) · R. Tanveer · A.-B. Tabinda Sustainable Development Study Center, GC University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan e-mail: yasar.abdullah@gmail.com © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022 T. Aftab (ed.), Sustainable Management of Environmental Contaminants, Environmental Contamination Remediation and Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08446-1_21 533