Water crisis hits twin cities

Scorching heat speeds up evaporation, lowering water levels in dams

RAWALPINDI:

The twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad continue to face a looming water crisis as all three major dams supplying water to the region are experiencing critically low levels due to prolonged drought and 44% below-average rainfall over the past 12 months.

With scorching heat and rising temperatures accelerating evaporation, water levels in Rawal, Khanpur, and Simly Dams have dropped alarmingly. If heavy pre-monsoon rains do not occur by June 30, the water shortage could escalate into a severe crisis for both cities.

Rawal Dam, constructed in 1960, has a total storage capacity of 1,752 acre-feet. It currently holds 1,737 acre-feet of water—barely enough to meet the twin cities' needs for two months. Khanpur Dam, with a capacity of 1,982 acre-feet, now holds just 1,921 acre-feet, sufficient for only one month of supply. Simly Dam, which solely supplies Islamabad, has a storage capacity of 2,315 acre-feet, but currently contains 2,249 acre-feet—enough for roughly two months.

Rawalpindi receives 23 million gallons of water daily from Rawal Dam, and an additional six million gallons from Khanpur via the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA). Due to the lack of rainfall, underground water levels have also dropped drastically—between 750 and 800 feet in Rawalpindi—with similar conditions in Islamabad. Most wells and tube wells installed between 1990 and 2000 in Rawalpindi have now dried up, cutting off water supply from those sources.

WASA spokesperson and Director of Administration Umar Farooq confirmed that the drop in dam water levels is due to the ongoing drought. However, he assured the public there is no cause for panic. "The pre-monsoon season is expected to begin within two days, followed by the main monsoon season, which should bring heavy rainfall and help replenish the dams," he said.

While acknowledging the current water shortage, he ruled out the possibility of a major crisis and noted that in areas facing low water supply or malfunctioning tube wells, the Agency has initiated water delivery through tankers. He urged residents to conserve water by avoiding wasteful practices such as washing cars and watering lawns with hoses.