Annual de-silting of Khanpur Dam commences
PHOTO: FILE
The annual silt-cleaning (bhal safai) of the Khanpur Dam, one of the major reservoirs supplying water to the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, has begun.
Water supply from the dam has been cut down significantly and will remain so until the scheduled clean-up concludes on February 21.
Water stored in different areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi and cantonment prior to the annual cleaning is already down to one-third. As water pressure decreases, supply in cantonment and Islamabad will be further limited to areas nearby overhead tanks.
Restoration of regular water supply will resume between February 23 and 25, with the cantonment board issuing an advisory to use water cautiously.
It would be pertinent to mention here that the daily supply of water from Sangjani Water Treatment Plant had been reduced by 10 million gallons from February 2, even before the commencement Bhal Sanitation on February 14. Now with the annual clean-up formally under way, the water supply to Sangjani Water Filtration Plant has been completely cut off till February 21.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA), Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) and the cantonment boards of Rawalpindi and Chaklala have implemented a water supply system based on rationing.
The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board has already expressed its concerns over the water shortage and a further cut in supply, demanding that the time period of sanitation not be extended without consultation with concerned parties.
The current daily water supply from Khanpur Dam to Rawalpindi city has been reduced from 18.80 million gallons to 12.80 million gallon, while the daily supply of water from Sangjani Water Treatment Plant to Islamabad has been reduced from 9.40 million gallons to 5.40 million gallons per day.
Cantonment board spokesman Qaiser Mahmood has said that water supply from Khanpur Dam Water Supply Project Water commences from Khanpur Dam and reaches the Sangjani Water Filtration Plant through an 18km long open water channel.
He said that the annual cleaning and maintenance work of the reservoir is a monumental task, during which regular water supply to the citizens is not possible.
Due to the reduction, authorities are forced to provide water on a rationed basis, and with the gradual decrease in water pressure, the supply is further restricted to only those areas that are nearby overhead water tank.
“After the bhal safai concludes on February 21, the regular supply of water will be restored sometime between February 23 and 25,” said Mehmood. “Water supply to the designated settlements will be restored in phases.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 16th, 2022.