RAWALPINDI: The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) Rawalpindi has prepared a plan to provide water to unserved peri-urban and low-income union councils in the garrison city free of cost through water tankers and has sought financial assistance of Rs810 million from the government.

Talking to Dawn, Wasa Managing Director Saleem Ashraf said that, in pursuance of the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Wasa Rawalpindi had prepared an emergency plan for the provision of drinking water to unserved and low-income inhabitants through the deployment of water bowsers at their doorsteps.

He said that initially the work had been started as a pilot project in Chakri Road, Adiala Road, Dhama Syedan, Girja Road and other areas. However, he added that a detailed plan had been forwarded to the Punjab government.

“While the implementation of the action plan has already been initiated through Wasa’s existing water bowser fleet, a substantial gap between demand and supply still persists,” he said.

Rawalpindi has estimated water demand of 71 MGD against available supply of 51 MGD

He said Rawalpindi was one of the most densely populated metropolitan cities of the province, where the population had increased manifold over the years due to rapid demographic transition and urban sprawl. “The population of the city has increased from 1.6 million (1998 Census) to over 3.0 million at present, which has placed severe pressure on civic infrastructure, particularly the water supply system,” he said.

He said that within the present service jurisdiction of Wasa Rawalpindi, the total available water supply was approximately 51 MGD against an estimated demand of 71 MGD, resulting in a shortfall of about 20 MGD.

In addition, a number of peri-urban and low-income localities remained unserved and were not receiving water supply through any formal source.

“In order to bridge the existing shortfall and ensure water supply to the affected areas on an emergency basis,” he said, cost estimates for various options had been prepared for an initial 12-month period to address the current water supply shortfall and ensure emergency access to affected areas.

He said that Wasa had worked out different options, including the procurement of water bowsers costing Rs2.456 billion, but due to the high capital cost, it was not considered feasible. He added that the second option, rental bowsers along with the installation of sources by Wasa, was feasible and would cost Rs810.19 million per annum.

He said the third option was to obtain rental bowsers filled from any private source, which would cost Rs776.19 million, but it was not considered due to the lack of availability of private sources in these areas.

In view of this, he said, Wasa had requested the Punjab chief minister to allow placement of the matter regarding the provision of a grant-in-aid of Rs810.19 million in the Wasa Rawalpindi account during the current financial year.

He said the proposal for the execution of the preferred option, rental bowsers and installation of sources by Wasa, would be placed before the provincial cabinet for consideration and approval for the provision of free-of-cost drinking water to unserved areas of Rawalpindi city.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2026