Water level: Simly Dam hits capacity

Spillway opening possible; CDA hopes stored water will ease stress in summer.

ISLAMABAD:

The optimum storage capacity of Simly Dam, the capital’s primary water source, was met on Tuesday, after the current rainy spell pushed the water level up even further.

Simly Dam has an optimum capacity of 2,315 feet, while rain on Tuesday pushed the water level up to 2314.3 feet.

“The dam is almost filled to maximum capacity. In case of more rain, which is accepted during ongoing week, the spillways will be opened to discharge extra water,” CDA Bulk Water Management Director Altaf Khan said.

He said Water Management Wing officials are deputed at the dam to monitor the situation, so that if water rises to the danger level, residents of adjoining areas could be warned before the spillways are opened.

Khan said the water supply that the city gets from the dam varies between 25 and 35 million gallons per day.

Besides Simly Dam, Khan said five million gallons per day from Khanpur Dam is also used in the city. WAPDA administers Khanpur Dam.

In Islamabad, the main source of water are the reservoirs at Simly and Khanpur and a network of around 188 tube wells — 40 of which are out of order — as aquifers in the capital territory are shallow and scattered.

“The recent rains will also significantly improve the underground water table,” CDA spokesperson Asim Khichi said. He said the CDA is currently drawing around 26-28 million gallons of water per day from tube wells to cater the water needs of city residents.

Khichi expressed hope that sufficient water supply would be available during the summer.

Peak cumulative water production from these three sources is 84 million gallons per day (MGD), which drops to between 50 and 60 MGD during the summer.

The CDA estimates that around 40 per cent of water is wasted due to the aged underground water supply network.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2014.