RAWALPINDI: The water supplyfrom Khanpur Dam to twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad was restored on Friday after desilting of 18-km long canal from dam to Sangjani water treatment plant.

The work on de-silting of main canal from Khanpur Dam to Sangjani Water Treatment Plant was launched on Feb 10 by the Capital Development Authority, Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) and Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) and it completed on Feb 21.

The water supply from Khanpur Damfor twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad had been curtailed from 28.6 million gallon Daily (MGD) to 10 MGD for 10 days from Feb 10 to Feb 21 due to dredging of left bank canal.

The suspension of the watersupplycreated watershortage in the garrison city as Wasa, Rawalpindi and Chaklala Cantonment Boards declared water emergency in their respective areas and started waterrationing.

Rawalpindi city and cantonment received 19 MGD water from Khanpur Dam including seven million gallon daily (MGD) in city areas and RCB and CCB got 12 MGD and Capital Development Authority (CDA) got 9.6 MGD.

However, after February 10, Rawalpindi city and cantonment got 6 MGD and Islamabad received 4 MGD water from the Khanpur dam, it was difficult for the civic bodies to meet the daily requirement of water for the residents.

The curtailment of watersupply affected Pirwadhai, Khyban-i-Sir Syed, Dhoke Matkaal, Shamsabad, Iqbal Town, Muslim Town Sadiqabad and some of parts of Satellite Town in city areas while Cantonment areas were worst affected.

Wasa Managing Director Mohammad Saleem Ashraf told Dawn that the civic body will start water supply from Friday night.

He said that the water level in Rawal and Khapur dams improved after the rain and it was expected to further improve in coming days as another spell of rain is expected from February 26.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2025