WASA urges people to use water judiciously

10pm to 2am power cuts causing supply problems

RAWALPINDI:

The Water and Sanitation Agency(WASA) Rawalpindi on Tuesday urged citizens to use water judiciously as the agency faces a water shortage because of the increase in demand and power loadshedding.

WASA Managing Director (MD) Raja Shoukat Mehmood said the officers concerned had been directed to make all possible arrangements to ensure water supply in affected areas through tube wells but the operation of the tube wells was also affected due to power load-shedding.

He added that there were problems with the water supply due to continuous power outage from 10 am to 2 pm. He said that the water supply from Rawal Lake Filtration Plant had become impossible and the water supply from Khanpur Dam was also affected.

It was necessary to run motors for water supply along with water treatment, he said. The load-shedding was affecting the operation of the pumping stations and water could not be stored in storage tanks, he said. He urged citizens to be careful using water. The citizens should also cooperate with WASA, he added.

Nearly 50 per cent water was being supplied to the city and cantonment areas from Rawal Dam, he informed.

The officers were instructed to ensure water supply particularly to the most affected areas through water boozers and utilise all available resources to address complaints of the citizens.

While water utility services are making efforts to provide clean drinking water, it was also the duty of the consumers to use water carefully, he added.

Meanwhile, with the increase in heat intensity and temporary differences in demand and supply, power load management is being carried out in the Islamabad Electric Supply Company

(IESCO) region. An IESCO Spokesperson said the situation will be brought under control soon and an uninterrupted power supply will be restored.

He said IESCO officials are in touch with the formations concerned an uninterrupted supply of electricity to the consumers will be started soon after overcoming the present situation. Every effort is being made under the direction of IESCO Chief Executive Dr. Muhammad Amjad Khan to provide electricity to fasting people, especially during sehri and iftar hours, he said.

To resolve individual complaints pertaining to power failure or low voltage issues, the operation staff is in the field round the clock and other formations are also alert, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2022.