Mosques hooked into rainwater harvesting system

RDA plans to expand scheme for irrigation, gardening and car wash stations

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has completed work on a rainwater harvesting pilot project by constructing underground water tanks to cater to the needs of three mosques initially.

The rainwater harvesting project will benefit Jamia Masjid-e-Bilal in Khayabane-Sir Syed, Sarajiya Masjid in Syedpur Housing Scheme and Jamia Masjid Ghausia in Bangash Colony.

The RDA also plans to expand the rainwater harvesting project to meet the needs of more mosques, parks, public washrooms and government offices.

For this purpose, sites have been selected and work has been started. Under the rain harvesting project for mosques, the rainwater is collected in a large storage tank from where the used water is shifted to another storage tank which is further used for irrigation of parks and green belts.

Officials said that in the coming days, rooftops of major public buildings will be connected to three major water harvesting projects planned for the city.

The pilot project initiated by the RDA with the financial support of the UNDP is declared a successful development.

RDA officials said that the ablution water of mosques will now be made usable instead of being wasted. More than 400 worshipers pray at Jamia Masjid-e-Bilal in Khayaban-e-Sir Syed daily and 1000 to 1,500 worshipers show up for Friday prayers. A person uses five to seven litres of water during ablution, they said.

The rainwater harvesting project will now be a great alternative source of pure and clean water available to the citizens.

RDA Chairman Tariq Mehmood Murtaza said that it has been decided to expand the successful project to overcome the depletion of underground water. He said that the rainwater harvesting system will become an alternative source of water in case of water scarcity.

Earlier, the construction of the first underground water tank at Rawal Park was completed. The Parks and Horticulture Authority Rawalpindi executed the project worth Rs50 million to reduce the use of clean water in parks.

The tank which has a storage capacity of nearly 100,000 gallons was part of the rainwater harvesting project.

All rainwater will be saved in the coming monsoon season. PHA officials said that the project would enable the authority to collect rainwater in various parks of Rawalpindi city which would be used for irrigation in parks and other plantation sites of the city.

All rainwater will be saved in the coming monsoon season.

These projects will be launched in Rawalpindi’s parks including Allama Iqbal Park, Rawal Park, Pothohar Park, Liaquat Bagh and Commercial Market Children’s Park.

Water supply systems would also be installed in the parks besides constructing water filling stations to fill water tankers, they said.