Annual silt cleaning to affect water supply

Approximately 70% daily water supply from Khanpur Dam to the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi will be reduced for a week, with the annual silt cleaning (bhal safai) of the reservoir scheduled to take place from February 14 to 20.

This predicted shortage is expected to create severe water crisis in both cities.

Rawalpindi Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Managing Director Raja Shaukat Mehmood has said that during the silt clean up, Islamabad will receive six million gallons of water compared to its usual supply of 18.80 million gallons per day.

Meanwhile, Rawalpindi will receive only four million gallons of water instead of 9.40 million gallons daily.

Read: Twin cities likely to face water shortage

“Citizens are requested to cooperate and manage the reduced supply cautiously in the mentioned timeline to minimise inconvenience,” said Mehmood.

He further said that Dhoke Hassu, Fauji Colony, Pirwadhai, Dhoke Mangtal, Khayabane Sir Syed and adjoining areas are among the localities that will be affected during the cleaning operation.

Water will be supplied to the aforementioned areas through tube wells and Rawal Dam, which will be lesser than usual for which WASA apologised in advance and advised consumers to make arrangement to store water beforehand and regulate the supply carefully.