RAWALPINDI, Aug 4: The city areas are facing a shortage of about 11.1 million gallons of water per day, official sources told Dawn.

A Wasa official said the agency would start providing about seven mgd additional water from eight new filter beds that would be inaugurated on August 31. This, he further said, would reduce the shortage. At present, about seven mgd of water is being provided from Rawal Filtration Plant.

Wasa has started its test supply from Khanpur Dam to check water quality. However, regular supply will begin after water has been proved fit for drinking.

Supply from Khanpur Dam will help reduce the prevailing shortage to a great extent, the official said, and added that water would be supplied to areas like Shamsabad, Pirwadhai, Murree Road, public parks and Khayaban-i-Sir Syed.

Apart from this, water tank at Shamsabad would become operative from the middle of this month. Water will be supplied from this tank to Dhoke Kala Khan, Dhoke Paracha, Sadiqabad, Muslim Town, Khurram Colony and the surrounding areas. Similarly, the tank at Pirwadhai will supply water to Dhoke Hassu, Dhoke Mangtal, Umarabad, Dhoke Ratta, Ratta Amral, Bangash Colony, Fauji Colony and the adjoining localities.

Wasa has announced that it would provide new connections to people for water supply from Khanpur Dam. Those who want new connections in place of old ones or want connections for water supply from Khanpur Dam should apply through a prescribed form to the one-window operation facility, the agency said in its announcement.

Meanwhile, people have criticized Wasa for its poor performance. The shortage is due to the negligence of the Wasa authorities who have failed to meet the growing demand of water, the residents said.

Its pipeline network has become obsolete and is unable to accommodate load. In most cases, sewage mixes with drinking water through broken pipelines, the people complained.