ADB sanctions funds for three water projects

Mega water supply schemes have already been approved by ECNEC

RAWALPINDI:

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a soft loan (loan at a low-interest rate) funding of Rs33.5 billion for three mega water supply projects to enable an additional 17 million gallons of water supply per day to the garrison city.

These projects have already been approved by the federal government's forum – the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).

It is estimated that a population of 940,000 will benefit from these water supply projects and after their commissioning, completion and up-gradation, they will be run on solar energy.

According to sources, the residents of Rawalpindi City currently require 68 million gallons of water per day, while the available water is 51 million gallons per day.

The citizens are, therefore, facing problems due to the shortage of 17 million gallons of water per day and the falling level of underground water.

In addition, the situation of water supply through tube wells is such that it takes at least 16 tube wells to pump as much water in Rawalpindi as only one tube well does in Lahore.

Among the feasible plans proposed by the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) to the ADP to supply 17 million gallons of additional water per day, 12 million gallons of potable water will be available from the Chahan Dam.

This project will be completed at Rs27,999.349 million and will ensure water supply to six union councils including Dhamyal, Garja, Kalyal, Chak Jalal Din I and II, Dhamman, Saidan, Chakra and Lakhan areas. Hence, citizens in these areas will not have to buy water through tankers.

Similarly, at present, six million gallons of water are available daily from the Khanpur Dam water supply project, which will be increased to more than 14 million gallons per day for which the pumping machinery of the Sangjani Water Treatment Plant will be changed.

On the other hand, the District Metered Area – a portion of a water system for which all inflows and outflows are monitored – is being introduced in the Khayaban-e-Sir Syed area for 24/7 availability of water. This will also stop water wastage while the project will cost Rs1,853.29 million.

Further, a new water supply line will be laid from Rawal Dam to improve the water supply in the Safaid Tanki, Satellite Town, Shamsabad and surrounding areas with a supply of five million gallons of water per day. Rs3595.45 million will be spent on this project.

A major advantage is that the project will be running on solar energy which will reduce WASA's electricity bills and significantly decrease pollution.

It is worth mentioning here that the Federal Flood Commission has got approval from the ECNEC to install a fence and monitoring system around Nullah Leh. The project will cost Rs300 million and will prevent the dumping of construction debris and garbage into the nullah.

WASA Managing Director Muhammad Tanveer said: “With the soft loan funding by the ADB, there will be an additional supply of 17 million gallons of water per day in Rawalpindi which will address the issues of non-availability of water as per the needs of the citizens.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12^th, 2023..