HARIPUR, May 15: Water in the Khanpur Dam has dropped to 1,919 feet, only nine feet short of dead-level with only 30 days of water remaining in the reservoir, officials say. They told this correspondent on Monday that they would have to suspend supply of water from the dam if dry weather persisted for another 30 days, adding that they might have to suspend water supply even to the CDA.

The dam is one of Wapda’s irrigation and municipal water supply project, which has been supplying water to Capital Development Authority (CDA) in Islamabad, Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB), Fecto cement factory, Project Management Operation (PMO) and irrigates a vast area of Punjab and the NWFP.

The reservoir is fully dependent on rain and natural springs in the upper Hazara and the Northern Areas.

On Monday, the water inflow had decreased to 11.5 cusecs against a total outflow of 87 cusecs. Officials said that the net outflow, which included 46 cusecs for the CDA and the RCB, Heavy Industries Taxila, Fecto Cement and Project Management Operation 3.58 cusecs, 5 cusecs each for irrigation of Punjab and the NWFP areas, was 59 cusecs. The shortfall of 32 cusecs, according to Wapda sources, was because of seepage and evaporation.

The sources said that the water stock would not last beyond May 25 when the dam administration would be forced to suspend all water outflow.

Referring to a revision of the dead level, the sources said it could not be revised below 1,910 feet as it would block canals by accumulating silt.

He said that the decision to curtail the share of any beneficiary or revision in the dam’s dead level was the prerogative of a committee, including dam officials, CDA and PMO authorities.