Twin cities parched as water crisis worsens

RAWALPINDI:

With the onset of summer, Rawalpindi city and cantonment areas besides Islamabad are facing an escalating water crisis, as the daily water shortfall has surged to 60.14 million gallons, with officials warning that the deficit is expected to widen further in the coming months.

At present, the combined daily water demand for Rawalpindi city and cantonment stands at 130.12 million gallons, whereas the available supply is only 69.98 million gallons per day.

Authorities expect future relief through the completion of the Chahan Dam, Daducha Dam and Cherah Dam projects, which together are projected to provide an additional 80 million gallons of water daily. However, experts caution that by the time these schemes become operational, demand will have increased even further due to rapid population growth.

According to official details, long-term plans to provide 200 million gallons of water daily to the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad in the first phase - eventually increasing to 500 million gallons per day in three stages through the Ghazi Water Channel from the Indus River - have effectively remained shelved.

As a result, the water situation across the twin cities is becoming increasingly alarming.

The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board currently requires 50 million gallons of water daily, but is receiving only 12.78 million gallons from Khanpur Dam and tube wells, leaving a daily shortfall of 37.22 million gallons and causing severe hardship for residents.

Meanwhile, under the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), Rawalpindi city's daily water requirement stands at 70 million gallons, while the combined supply from Khanpur Dam, Rawal Dam and tube wells is only 51.5 million gallons, creating a deficit of 18.5 million gallons per day.