HYDERABAD, May 6: Given the fact that water reservoirs of Water and Sanitation Agency, Hyderabad, have a capacity of storing water for not more than three to four days, the irrigation authorities are required to be cautious while dealing with the issue of the release of Manchhar Lake’s water into the River Indus.

If things are mishandled it may lead to disaster as witnessed last year in the city and adjoining towns.

Irrigation authorities have released around 600 cusecs of water from the Manchhar Lake into the River Indus on Friday evening as per decision of the committee, formed by secretary irrigation to determine the quantity of water to be released into the Indus to bring the lake’s level down to the safe limits of 105RL before monsoon season begins.

Information available with Dawn on Friday revealed that desilting process was continuing at almost all water works of Wasa in the city under a special package of Rs120 million approved by the Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan when Hyderabad faced an unprecedented water crisis leading to deaths of around 42 persons, mostly children, due to consumption of highly contaminated water supplied by Wasa which was lifted from the Indus.

More than 6000 cases of gastroenteritis were reported to different government hospitals. The Manchhar Lake’s water was released into the river through Aral Wah in mid-May last year by irrigation authorities without informing Wasa and HDA.

There are only two lagoons where maximum quantity of water is stored by Wasa authorities in Goth Karan Khan Shoro, Jamshoro, near River Indus.

However, the desilting that began some time back this year needs to be completed before expiry of current fiscal year in June for which around Rs70 million had been released out of Rs120 million allocated.

The desilting of water works in Paretabad, Hala Naka, Latifabad Unit no-4 and Guddu is also going-on under same package.

“Thus the storage capacity in all these water works could not be maintained beyond three to four days in order to ensure on-time completion of desilting process”, an official source said.

Since Wasa’s Southern water lagoon is under complete desilting water could not be stored in adjacent Northern lagoon because it would lead to seepage to ultimately affect desilting.

“Otherwise both these lagoons could store water for around 10 days safely. Same is the case with other water works, mentioned above”, he added.

Wasa provides around 60 MGD of filtered water daily while the rest of the population is supplied raw water from said water works in the city.