Overhaul of sewerage in Pindi UCs gets WASA nod

Rs350m project is expected to be completed in six months

RAWALPINDI:

The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has given an official nod to a project aimed at laying a new sewage system in seven union councils (UCs) of Rawalpindi city under the Annual Development Program (ADP).

Tenders for the project are being called on Saturday (today). The project with an estimated cost of Rs350 million, is expected to be completed in six months.

A new sewage system will be laid in seven UCs of Rawalpindi, including Khayaban Sir Syed, Pirwadhai, Fauji Colony, Safdarabad, and Dhok Hassu.

This project aims to update the existing sewage system in these areas. Notably, four UCs lack a proper sewage system but now a proper new sewage system is being laid.

The contract for this project is expected to be issued in early December, with implementation starting in the third week of December.

The city's UCs with dilapidated sewage systems will undergo upgrades, starting with inspections of the damaged systems. In addition to the upgrades, preparations are underway to hand over the city's sanitation and garbage disposal system to the private sector beginning January 1.

All necessary preparations will be completed within the next week and the handover process of the sanitation system to the private sector will also get underway.

As part of the sanitation system's privatisation, a monthly tax of Rs300 to Rs500 will be imposed on citizens of Rawalpindi for domestic and commercial sanitation.

Last week, Wasa issued a notification to implement the Lahore High Court (LHC) orders by imposing fines against increasing water wastage and regarding disconnection of water connections.

According to the order, a fine to the tune of Rs10,000 for residential connection and Rs20,000 for commercial connection should be imposed for water wastage for the first time. For the second time, residential and commercial water connections should be disconnected over water wastage, as water scarcity is now a threat to the environment and communities around the world, the court order further states.