ISLAMABAD: Two points on the main Simly Dam water supply line in the Bhara Kahu area have been leaking for three days, causing significant water loss in a city already facing a water shortage.

The main Simly Dam conduction line passes through various rural areas, such as Taimaar, Shahpur, Bhara Kahu and near Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), before it reaches the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad’s water station for onward supply to Islamabad residents. The line was damaged at two points near QAU and water has been wasted there for the last three days.

Islamabad is already facing an acute shortage of water, with urban residents receiving 55 million gallons of water daily (MGD) against a requirement of 110MGD and no proper water supply for rural residents.

According to a survey by the MCI and Capital Development Authority, Islamabad’s total water requirement is 211MGD.

They said the present water shortage has been caused mainly by the depletion of surface and ground water sources due to less rainfall, climate change, construction inside and around Islamabad and the increase in population.

Leaks emerged three days ago near QAU

Islamabad is being supplied water from two main sources: Simly Dam and Khanpur Dam. The MCI is currently receiving 24MGD from Simly Dam, 7MGD from Khanpur Dam and 8MGD from tubewells.

But if the MCI’s negligence in repairing the line added to the difficulties facing residents without access to water, it brought some relief to those who opted to use the leaking water pipelines for a quick rinse.

“It’s too hot today, we are taking a bath here because the water is very fresh and cold,” said Bhara Kahu resident Nadeem Ali, who was among the youngsters bathing near the Kot Hatyal area.

Water was also leaking from the main line at another point near QAU. Both leaks have gone unnoticed by the MCI for three days, causing a huge quantity of water to go to waste.

During a visit to the site, a private water tanker was also seen filling up from the pipeline, an indication that the MCI’s negligence may also have been a blessing for commercial tanker operators.

When contacted, Chief Metropolitan Officer Asad Mehboob Kayani said the management was not aware of the leaks in the main conduction line.

“It seems the field staff are not performing their studies. We will inquire into why they didn’t report the leaking of water from the two points in question to us,” he said, adding that the links would be repaired as soon as possible.

The MCI’s water committee had already recently repaired the Simly Dam line, which has once again begun to break.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2017