WASA launches awareness campaign

The city’s sewerage system is prone to overflow and blockage

LAHORE: In order to prevent people from dumping waste in drains and create awareness on water conservation, the city’s Water And Sanitation Agency (WASA) is conducting a social mobilisation campaign in various localities.

Social Mobilisation Deputy Director Fakhar Hayat said irresponsible waste disposal was causing the city’s drain and sewer lines to overflow or get clogged. He added the problem magnified during the monsoon season.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Hayat said the campaign consists of several visits to affected areas. Once there, representatives and officials of WASA will speak to people about the affect of open dumping of waste in water bodies. According to Hayat, officials even found items as large as sofas in one of the recent cleanups of the sewer and drainage pipelines.

He added the presence of these items caused serious damage to the drainage infrastructure. Hayat said apart from campaigns which involve distribution of reading material to people, WASA has also been trying to educate locals on the value and need of water conservation.

“When it comes to water consumption, the general approach of the masses is one of extreme carelessness. People still treat water as an unlimited resource”, Hayat said.

“They don't realise that it is a limited commodity which is depleting by the day. Locals need to be careful when it comes to usage,” he added.

According to Hayat, these campaigns have been a regular feature of WASA and officials visit the ground two or three times a month.

He said the campaign also involves encouraging people to pay subsidised bills and become eligible for other WASA services. “A lot of users in the city either ignore the bill or fail to pay on time, resulting in problems with revenue collection,” he said.

Speaking of the outcome and challenges, Hayat stressed the need for continuous efforts to motivate people.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2017.