Cantt residents decry water crisis

Residents slam RCB for failing to provide sufficient water despite dams being full

RAWALPINDI:

Despite recent heavy monsoon rains filling Khanpur and Rawal Dams, the primary water sources for Rawalpindi Cantonment areas, residents have questioned why the RCB has failed to deliver adequate water.

Residents of Ward No. 9, under the jurisdiction of the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) on Sunday expressed their serious concerns over persistent water supply shortages that have disrupted daily life. The residents accused RCB officials of providing false assurances and fabricating reports to mislead senior authorities.

They complained that water supply to the area is at its lowest possible level. Some residents claim that they receive water for only 25 minutes, which is far less than the promised 45-minute supply schedule. A local resident, Mohammad Ali Kazm Pasha, said that even a consistent alternate-day water supply schedule is not ensured and that the RCB fails to adhere to its own schedule. Another resident criticised the dismissive attitude of RCB officials, who reportedly told locals that water supply disruption is related to residents' in-home water pumping dysfunctionality.

Residents alleged that RCB officials submitted misleading reports with images of running taps to senior officers, falsely claiming that water supply issues had been resolved. They further claimed that complaints on the issue have led to further reductions in water supply, exacerbating the crisis. "After we complained, the little water we were getting stopped altogether," said one resident. Another said that some RCB officials attributed the shortage to limited water allocation.

A valve man also highlighted power outages as a reason for supply disruptions, a claim residents dismissed as baseless.

Residents have repeatedly raised their concerns with senior RCB officials, who promised improvements — but no tangible progress has been made so far. The residents warned that if senior officials do not visit the affected areas within a few days, they will escalate their complaints to the Director General of Military Lands and Cantonments. In response to the media, RCB officials assured that water reservoirs are currently full, with no shortage in supply. They said that a team would visit the affected areas to investigate and address residents' concerns.

Since the Pakistan Meteorological Department has also forecast additional rainfall, which will further fill water reserves and raise more questions about the RCB's failure to meet the needs of the residents. The situation has forced many to rely on costly private water tankers, increasing financial burdens on already struggling families.

According to residents, the RCB's water supply shortage is caused by inefficiencies and supply handlers failing to adhere to the agreed schedule. The construction of underground storage facilities at Bhata Chowk with a capacity of 200,000 gallons/day along with smaller tanks in Ward 9 and other areas are underway to improve storage capacity. However, these projects are not meant to provide any immediate relief for the residents due to project completion timeline. Local traders and community organisations have also called for urgent action saying that the commercial sector's reliance on private tankers due to the lack of consistent supply in areas like Saddar is unsustainable.