Water authority set to expand operations to 10 more cities
The Punjab Water and Sanitation Authority (Pwasa), recently established to centralise and improve water governance across the province, is set to take over administrative and operational control of 10 additional cities over the next two to three years.
This expansion aligns with the Punjab government's vision, under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the water sector by 2030.
Pwasa Director General Tayyib Fareed said the upcoming transition will include four divisional municipal corporations - Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, and Sargodha - as well as six district-level municipal committees: Rahim Yar Khan, Okara, Jhang, Jhelum, Sialkot, and Hafizabad.
Only the water wings of these district municipal committees will be separated from their existing structures.
Pwasa will assume control of the water and sewerage-related infrastructure, including machinery, manpower, logistics, and supporting equipment.
DG Fareed noted that this expansion builds on the historic foundation of the five original water and sanitation agencies in Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, and Faisalabad.
These agencies were established in 1978 under the Punjab Development of Cities Act of 1976 and were previously operating under their respective development authorities.
In a major structural reform, the Punjab government has now separated these agencies from their parent authorities and placed them under Pwasa to enhance regulatory oversight and ensure more responsive service delivery.
He added that Pwasa has requested additional seed funding from the provincial government to ensure financial self-sufficiency and maintain high-quality services.
A new four-story Pwasa headquarters building, located near the WASA office in Lahore, is expected to be completed by June 30, 2025.
The contractor has been contractually obligated to meet this deadline.
Discussing the challenges of operationalizing a newly established organization, DG Fareed acknowledged the transitional hurdles, including data updating, project management, foreign-funded schemes, financial restructuring and HR alignment.
However, he expressed confidence that with the active support of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, these issues would be overcome.
One of the major reforms underway is the regulation of groundwater extraction for drinking purposes, which will now fall under Pwasa's exclusive authority.
A mechanism for standardising groundwater use and revising aquifer charges is also being developed to make the system more equitable and consumer-friendly.
DG Fareed also addressed the practice of issuing water and sewerage No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to private housing societies that lack trunk pipeline infrastructure.
He explained that although developers are required to deposit 25% of the land cost and commit to infrastructure development, agencies often end up entangled in sewerage complications - leading the public to blame them for service failures.
He said Pwasa is currently working on new legislation to reduce liabilities and create a more effective regulatory framework.
Regarding the massive outstanding dues owed by water agencies to power distribution companies, DG Fareed said efforts are underway to rationalize electricity tariffs. Simultaneously, Pwasa is prioritizing internal resource generation through legislative measures and the creation of its own enforcement mechanisms.