K-P launches pipeline upgrades, water meters

SCADA systems and meter installations aim to curb losses

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to install water flow meters and replace rusted water supply pipelines in major cities of the province in an effort to curb water losses, rationalise consumption, and slow the alarming depletion of groundwater resources.

The initiative is being implemented by the Local Government, Elections and Rural Development Department (LGE&RDD) under the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Cities Improvement Project (KPCIP). As part of the plan, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems are also being installed on all tubewells to enable real-time monitoring of water extraction and distribution.

Officials described the move as a major step toward improved water governance, aimed primarily at reducing non-revenue water, water that is extracted, pumped into the system, but either lost through leakages or wasted at the consumer end without generating revenue.

According to officials, groundwater tables in Peshawar, Kohat, Abbottabad, and Mingora are under severe stress due to rapid population growth, unplanned urban expansion, and worsening climate impacts. The installation of flow meters, they said, would help track consumption patterns, prevent over-extraction, and reduce excessive energy use, thereby lowering operational costs for Water and Sanitation Services Companies (WSSCs).

Alongside metering, KPCIP is replacing decades-old and rusted pipelines to minimise leakages and improve drinking water quality. Project data show that 353 kilometres of pipelines are being replaced in Kohat, 577 kilometres in Mingora, 15 kilometres in Peshawar, and 200 kilometres in Abbottabad.

Data obtained from WSSCs indicate that groundwater levels in all four cities have been declining steadily and risk falling below natural recharge capacity if corrective measures are not taken. Water utilities are already struggling to meet demand, particularly during peak summer months.

Currently, water demand exceeds supply across these cities. WSSC Mingora extracts around seven million gallons per day (MGD) against a demand of 11 MGD, while WSSC Abbottabad extracts 3.5 MGD against a demand of seven MGD. The shortfall is largely met through private borewells and water tankers. Officials noted that over-extraction has caused several tubewells to dry up, triggering ground instability and caving-in at some sites.

A 2024 study on groundwater dynamics in Abbottabad found that the city's built-up area expanded significantly over a decade, leading to groundwater declines ranging from 0.17 to four feet per year. Similar trends have been observed in Peshawar, where rapid urbanisation has sharply increased water demand while reducing natural groundwater recharge.

Officials believe that improved monitoring through SCADA systems, combined with metering and infrastructure upgrades, could significantly reduce losses, rationalise extraction, and slow groundwater depletion, a critical intervention as urban centres face rising demand and shrinking water reserves.