WASA plans to switch offices to solar power

Waste disposal agency seeks funds worth Rs7.38 billion for 22 new schemes

RAWALPINDI:

The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Rawalpindi has decided to shift its offices to solar power to do away with exorbitant electricity costs.

The waste disposable agency has sent a total of 22 new schemes, under the annual development programme for the new financial year, to the Punjab government for the provision of funds totalling Rs7.38 billion.

These development schemes will solve the drinking water and sewerage system issues of the Rawalpindi city and its environment.

Under these schemes, 10 new tube wells will be installed and groundwater tanks will be constructed.

A new pipeline will be laid from the Rawal Dam filtration plant to the Rawalpindi city, costing Rs480 million. A total of Rs510 million have been proposed for the up-gradation of the Rawal Dam water filtration plant and extension study.

Under the proposed plan, both large and small water tanks will be cleaned, expanded, upgraded and water supply connections will be replaced.

WASA Vice-Chairman Haroon Kamal Hashmi told The Express Tribune that agency’s offices will be switched to the solar system, costing Rs195 million.

He said that a new water supply scheme planned for Gorakhpur will cost Rs950 million. He said that Rs175 million have been proposed for white tanks up-gradation and Rs50 million have been proposed for black water tanks up-gradation.

He said that Rs450 million have been proposed for the up-gradation of water supply schemes and installation of new tube wells at Khayaban-e-Sir Syed.

The WASA official said that Rs190 million have been proposed for the purchase of new machinery for water supply schemes and Rs199 million for laying of new water sewerage lines in Safdarabad, Pirudhai, New Kataria, Satellite Town.

“We have decided to provide clean drinking water to the citizens besides upgrading the sewerage system in the entire city. With the completion of these schemes, Rawalpindi's water woes will be overcome to a great extent with a new state-of-the-art sewerage system in place.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2022.