WASA seeks govt’s nod for Rs2b water project
An elderly man walks on a water pipeline carrying empty containers. A severe water crisis hit the city after the main trunk line at Dhabeji pumping station was damaged due to load-shedding on Tuesday. PHOTO: FILE
The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Rawalpindi has sent a proposal to the Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) to install a pipeline from Rawal Dam to Rawalpindi for the provision of an additional 5 million gallons of water per day to the city.
The Asian Development Bank’s steering committee has already approved the project, costing Rs2 billion.
In 2001, a pipeline was laid to provide 28 million gallons per day of water from the Rawal Dam to Rawalpindi. However, 23 million gallons of water is being supplied to Rawalpindi city from the Rawal Dam currently because of the small width of the pipeline with a shortfall of 5 million gallons of water per day. The shortfall will be met by laying a new 30-inch diameter pipeline along the 48-inch diameter pipeline laid in 1979.
WASA Managing Director Muhammad Tanveer said that after the approval of the concept paper by the PDWP, a detailed design of the pipeline will be carried out by a consultant before issuing a tender for the project.
He said that currently, Rawalpindi city is provided 51 million gallons of water daily against the requirement of 68 million gallons of water from various sources.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 31st, 2022.