The Punjab government has launched initiatives to install nearly 1,000 filtration plants across the province and develop wastewater treatment facilities in Lahore.
The project for the installation of 963 water filtration plants across various districts, including Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan, was approved in meeting chaired by Punjab Housing Minister Bilal Yasin.
The initiative also includes surface water treatment systems and the construction of small dams in the Pothohar region to improve access to safe drinking water. Punjab Saaf Pani Authority CEO Naveed Ahmed briefed the participants on the progress of ongoing and upcoming clean water projects. He emphasised that transparency and merit would be ensured during project implementation. To cut operational costs, many facilities will be converted to solar energy.
Minister Yasin noted that new water supply projects will be launched annually. The meeting was also attended by the authority's Operations and Maintenance Director General Zohaib Butt and Projects DG Aamir Khaleeq.
Separately, in a bid to prevent the discharge of untreated sewage into the Ravi River, the government has planned the construction of smart wastewater treatment plants in Lahore. This initiative was discussed in a meeting chaired by Housing Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal. Lahore Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Managing Director Ghaffran Ahmed said six wastewater treatment plants are proposed at key outfall locations in the city.
In the first phase, work will begin on facilities at Babu Sabu and Kattar Bund. The Babu Sabu wastewater treatment plant is expected to cost approximately Rs60 billion, while the Kattar Bund facility will require around Rs23 billion.
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