ISLAMABAD, Feb 21: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has directed the owners of all services stations to stop car-wash due to persisting water shortage in the federal capital.

“The service stations owners will be fined Rs50,000, for violating the directives of the authority and their water supply connections will be suspended,” a senior CDA official informed Dawn on Thursday.

The CDA, recently conducted a survey of all petrol pumps and service stations and restricted car washing and wastage of water.

He informed that water supply is likely to be suspended to all the service stations so that the remaining water reserves in Simly Dam and other resources could be supplied for residential use till the coming monsoon season.

The normal level of water in the dam is about 2,295 feet while the level recorded on Thursday was 2,230 feet, the official revealed. With the existing reserves, water could be supplied to the residents till June. The CDA has started water rationing and supplying on alternate days.

There were complaints that service stations were using water carelessly. “Though the owners pay for the water they consumed, but water wastage cannot be tolerated in prevailing circumstances,” he added.

Earlier the CDA had restricted the citizens to stop car washing, watering lawns and avoid other water-related activities. But the authority is ignoring water being wasted by commercial units such as hotels, factories, bakeries and others.

The CDA reduced another 2mgd water in daily supply from Simly Dam to Islamabad city. Water level at Simly Dam, has declined by 26 feet.

“The normal supply of water from Simly Dam is 42 MGD while only 19 MGD is being supplied, due to sudden decline in water level in the reservoir.”

The present supply of water from all 180 tubewells in the federal capital is stated to be 23 MGD which is expected to be reduced by 10 MGD.