ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Thursday requested the Punjab Irrigation Department for an additional two million gallons of water from Rawal Dam, stating that every year during monsoon season, Small Dam Organization (SDO) ‘wasted’ millions of gallons of water by opening spillways.

The Rawal Dam, located in Islamabad near Banigala, is under the administrative control of the SDO as it supplies water to Rawalpindi. It supplies around 25mgd (million gallons per day) to residents of Rawalpindi. While, CDA also gets two mgd from this dam.

However, the CDA wants to get two million gallons more from this dam, stating that every year, the SDO “wastes” millions of gallons of surplus water from this dam during monsoon.

The CDA officials headed by Chairman Mohammad Ali Randhawa held a meeting with the SDO officials in this regard, which was also attended online by the secretary of the Punjab Irrigation Department, Wasif Khurshid.

During the meeting, the CDA chairman said instead of wasting water in the monsoon, the SDO should increase the quota of the CDA from 2mgd to 4mgd.

The meeting was told that in 2022, SDO opened the spillway of Rawal Dam to release 11,807mgd followed by the release of 2,157mgd in 2023. Similarly, the meeting was told that in the ongoing year, so far, 4142mgd has been released from Rawal Dam through the spillway.

The CDA officials said that during the peak season, the CDA can compromise with the SDO by getting “less share” as Rawal Dam is the main source of water for Rawalpindi.

Sources said that both sides decided to hold another meeting on this issue soon. The meeting also discussed the measures being taken to stop contamination in Rawal Dam. The CDA officials told the secretary of irrigation that tenders had already been floated, which will be opened on September 18 for the construction of three sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Bhara Kahu and Banigala areas to stop the flow of sewage into the nullah.

The meeting was also told that CDA is also working to build wetlands in nullahs, besides issuing notices to those, who directly discharge sewage in the nullahs.

Meanwhile, a press release issued by CDA after the said meeting stated: “The meeting discussed the matter of supply of additional water from Rawal Dam to Islamabad. It was agreed that the water wasted through the spillways of Rawal Dam would be utilised. [The] CDA had requested the Government of Punjab for the provision of additional water from Rawal Dam two years ago. During the discussion meeting had a positive point of view for supplying an additional 2 million gallons per day (mgd) from Rawal Dam to Islamabad,” it said.

The press release said that the meeting further decided that CDA’s Water Management Wing and Punjab Small Dams teams would work together to finalize the SOPs for water supply from Rawal Dam.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2024