Twin cities likely to face water shortage

Supply from Khanpur Dam slashed due to maintenance


Jamil Mirza February 02, 2022
Shehri-CBE hosts session to analyse cause of water shortage in the city. PHOTO: ONLINE

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RAWALPINDI:

Residents of the twin cities are likely to face water shortage after the authorities have announced to curtail the supply from the Khanpur Dam owing to the maintenance of its left bank canal. The water supply from the dam to the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad has been curtailed for eight days due to the annual de-silting and cleaning operation.

The daily water supply from Sangjani treatment plant has been reduced by 10 million gallons from February 2. The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board has already expressed its concerns over water shortage and further supply cuts and demanded that the sanitation period should not be extended without consultation with the concerned parties. According to the advisory issued by the Capital Development Authority (CDA), due to the complete shutdown of water supply from Khanpur Dam during the annual cleaning and repair of the left bank canal carrying water from the dam to Sangjani water treatment plant, the overall supply will remain minimal from February 2 to February 9.

The water supply from the Sangjani water treatment plant has been reduced by 10 million gallons per day for twin cities. The daily supply of water from Khanpur Dam for Rawalpindi city Cantonment, which was 18.80 million gallons per day, has now been reduced to 12.80 million gallons per day. Similarly, the daily supply of water from the Sangjani water treatment plant to Islamabad, which was 9.40 million gallons per day, has been reduced to 5.40 million gallons per day. In a letter to the CDA, Cantonment Executive Officer Rawalpindi Imran Gulzar has raised concerns stating that the city was already experiencing a water shortage with only 189 million gallons of water per day.

“Even if it is barely supplied as per the requirement, the stock will last in 10 days. Therefore, in terms of sanitation, not only the water supply should not be further reduced, but also the period of cleaning of the left bank canal should not be extended beyond seven days. It should not be further extended without the consultation of stakeholders,” the letter said. Currently, water to Rawalpindi city is being supplied from tube wells and Rawal Dam. However, Khanpur Dam is an essential source of water for Rawalpindi and Chaklala Cantonments Board in case of insufficient water supply from tube wells.

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