ISLAMABAD: A draft law has been finalised to establish the Potohar Water Board (PWB), a dedicated body aimed at resolving the chronic water shortage in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The proposed Potohar Water Board Act, recently vetted by the Ministry of Law, will soon be presented before Parliament for approval. According to official sources, the board’s secretariat will be set up at the Capital Development Authority (CDA) headquarters, and it will be headed by the Secretary Interior. The PWB will comprise 13 members, including two water experts from the private sector appointed for a three-year term.
Both Islamabad and Rawalpindi have been facing an escalating water crisis for years. The CDA currently relies on Simly Dam, Khanpur Dam and tubewells, which together supply only about 70 million gallons per day (mgd) far short of the actual demand of 283 mgd (including distribution losses). The rural areas of Islamabad remain dependent on bore water and small local schemes.
Officials said that one of the board’s top priorities would be to revive the Tarbela Water Project, originally proposed in 2008 to bring 200 mgd to the twin cities but which has remained stalled for over a decade.
Under the draft law, the PWB will function as a corporate body with the power to enter into contracts, acquire or dispose of property, and sue or be sued. The board will serve as a centralised platform to coordinate and manage water-related issues of both cities, which currently fall under multiple agencies.
The legislation extends the PWB’s jurisdiction to all bulk water sources, reservoirs, storage facilities, and water transport infrastructure not supplied directly from the Indus River or located within KP or Punjab. It will oversee the entire water transmission system from Tarbela and Khanpur reservoirs to designated urban supply zones.
In addition to managing water supply, the PWB will also work to prevent contamination and pollution, regulate bulk-water use, and issue fishing permits for water bodies under its control. The board’s functions include hydrological studies, water audits, demand forecasting, and determining water-usage charges to ensure long-term conservation and equitable supply.
Officials believe the establishment of the Potohar Water Board will finally bring an integrated, sustainable approach to managing the twin cities’ water resources, an issue that has remained unresolved for decades.
