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This is a conference paper. ; The Quetta valley in Northern Balochistan is an arid mountainous valley. Over the past 15 years the demand for water has increased significantly as cheap electricity has made pumping from groundwater for the irrigation of high value deciduous fruit a major economic activity and the population of Quetta has expanded, largely as a result of the expansion of high value agriculture. The availability of low cost electricity together with a culture that has historically considered water as being free to all, has led to huge demands for groundwater. From the information available it is clear however, that groundwater in the Quetta valley is being mined, with groundwater levels falling at 1m a year, which is a cause for concern that demands immediate attention. This paper looks at the problem and potential mitigation measures. These include control of abstraction for agriculture through legislation and pricing, institutional measures to monitor and control abstraction, alternative surface water development options, artificial groundwater recharge and reducing urban demand.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between work-related, individual, and environmental factors and self-reported standing time during the workday. Design: Cross-sectional study design. Setting: Participants were recruited from a large, public university in the southeastern United States. Measures: Data were collected through an 87-item online survey using previously validated scales that assessed workplace standing time, demographic variables, work-related psychosocial factors, and workplace environment factors. Analysis: One-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and nonparametric tests were used to determine univariate relationships between standing time and independent work-related variables and demographic factors. Results: Mean standing time among the sample (n = 502) was 72.49 minutes (standard deviation = 73.48) daily. There was a significant relationship between standing time and barrier self-efficacy for standing at work, self-regulation strategies, social norms, local connectivity in the workplace, overall connectivity in the workplace, and proximity of coworkers. Standing time was significantly higher for men, employees with an advanced degree, employees with a standing desk, and faculty. Conclusion: Health promotion researchers and practitioners should consider factors at multiple levels of influence when designing studies to explore workplace sedentary behavior. The findings regarding variations in workplace behavior by employee subgroups should be taken into consideration when designing future studies in the workplace.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between ecological factors and occupational sedentary behavior (SB). Design: Cross-sectional online survey. Setting: Participants were employees recruited from a large, public university in the Southeastern United States from August to November 2016. Participants: The final sample included 527 (56% response rate) employees. Measures: Data were collected through an 87-item survey using previously validated scales that assessed occupational SB, perceived behavioral control, barrier self-efficacy, self-regulation strategies, organizational social norms, office environment, and worksite climate. Analysis: One-way analysis of variance analyses were used to determine differences in occupational SB by demographic factors. A multivariate regression model was used to determine significant ecological determinants of occupational SB. Results: Mean SB was 342.45 (standard deviation = 133.25) minutes. Significant differences in SB were found by gender, education, and employment classification. Barrier self-efficacy and workplace connectivity, which evaluates the spatial layout of the office setting that may impact mobility within the workplace, were significant predictors of SB in the multivariate model. Conclusion: Results from this study provide new information regarding the potential impact of workplace barriers and connectivity on occupational SB. The findings from this study support the inclusion of intervention modalities to minimize workplace barriers and increase workplace connectivity to increase workplace mobility and decrease SB.