Funds have been approved for three major water supply projects aimed at resolving Rawalpindi persistent water shortage before the upcoming summer season. The initiatives with a combined cost of Rs 3.1 billion will be executed by the Water and Sanitation Agency Rawalpindi to ensure uninterrupted water availability across the garrison city.
Wasa Managing Director Saleem Ashraf said tenders have already been floated and construction work is scheduled to begin by the end of January. He stated that the projects are being fast tracked under clear directions to ensure that residents receive reliable water supply by June. The schemes focus on addressing water scarcity as well as improving aging infrastructure.
The first project costing Rs 965 million involves the installation of twelve tubewells along Islamabad Expressway to supply water to seven union councils located around the old airport and Nur Khan Airbase. Geological assessments confirmed that groundwater is largely unavailable in these localities making alternative supply essential. The areas to be covered include Fazal Town Gulzar e Quaid Dhoke Hafiz Nazeerabad Faisal Colony Shah Khalid Colony and nearby neighborhoods.
To support consistent distribution one overhead water tank with a capacity of fifty thousand gallons and two underground tanks each holding four hundred thousand gallons will be constructed. The Capital Development Authority has issued the required no objection certificate for the installation of tubewells in these areas.
Two additional projects focus on replacing the old and corroded water supply networks from Khanpur Dam and Rawal Dam at a cost of Rs 1.11 billion and Rs 1.13 billion respectively. These pipelines have exceeded their service life leading to frequent leakages contamination and supply disruptions.
Once completed the projects are expected to benefit more than seven hundred sixty five thousand consumers. Wasa is also surveying underserved localities to propose further expansion while parallel efforts to bring water from Chahan Dam continue and work on Daducha Dam is expected to begin soon to strengthen long term water security.
