‘Mega projects to end Rawalpindi’s water woes’
Rawalpindi Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) Managing Director Muhammad Saleem Ashraf Sunday said mega projects were under way to tackle the city’s water supply problems.
To save and prevent wastage of water, the agency was taking measures day and night to eliminate the leakages of underground water pipes, which would not only save water but help control dengue, he said in a press statement.
Wasa would make efforts to repair and renovate mini-filtration plants across the city, Saleem said, adding chlorine would be added to improve water quality and filters would be replaced at water filtration plants.
The MD further said that WASA Rawalpindi was trying to provide clean drinking water to the citizens, urging the citizens to cooperate with Wasa and pay their water and sewerage bills on time.
Work had been started on mega projects including the supply of 12 million gallons of water per day from Chahan Dam, additional five million gallons of water per day from Rawal Dam and the uninterrupted supply of water to six union councils (UCs) of Khayaban Sir Syed, he said.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) was providing funds for these projects, he said and informed that along with this, the rain harvesting system was being installed at 30 different buildings of the city with the support of UN-HABITAT to secure the rainwater. Under the project, the rainwater would be collected from the roofs in the underground tanks and this water would be used for horticulture. The step would help save clean drinking water, he added.
He asked the officials to further improve the service delivery to enable uninterrupted water supply to the citizens, particularly during Ramazan.
The MD said that the supply of clean drinking water to the citizens was being ensured from the mini-filtration plants during Sehar and Iftar in Ramadan.
Solid steps were being taken for immediate repair in case of malfunction of tube wells, he said adding, that negligence on the part of the officials concerned would not be tolerated.
According to a Wasa spokesperson, the agency is working to augment new water sources to overcome the upcoming shortage of water, especially in the Potohar region.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 1st, 2024.