ISLAMABAD: The Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) has said Rs1.65 billion were required to improve the existing water supply system in the capital.

Pointing out a serious water crisis, it said the existing water resources had almost been tapped but due to the ongoing development of the city and its population growth a supply-demand gap had arisen. It recommended steps to improve the supply system.

Documents prepared by the MCI showed that it required Rs786.233 million to plug leakages and repair tubewells and pumping units while Rs50 million were needed for the construction of check dams and wells to facilitate recharging of aquifers.

The documents, which were presented before the Supreme Court on Monday, showed that there was a need for installation of 30 tubewells to supplement the water supply and for this Rs300 million were required. Besides, an amount of Rs260 million was required for automation of the tubewells and Rs250 million for replacement of the first conduction of main Simly filtration plant.

Rs786 million needed to plug leakages and repair tubewells and Rs50m for construction of check dams, according to documents

The MCI also called for developing its human resource to improve the water supply saying it was facing an acute shortage of staff. Currently, the posts of 187 beldars/helpers, 59 drivers, 16 valvemen, 27 cleaners and eight inquiry clerks are lying vacant.

“We are going to request the prime minister for a Rs1.6 billion special grant in the next few days and a summary will be moved by the interior ministry in this regard,” Chief Metropolitan Officer Syed Najaf Iqbal told Dawn.

Long-term solution: The report said to meet present as well as future requirement of water, a sustainable project, “Conduction of water from Indus River system for Rawalpindi and Islamabad” was conceived by CDA.

The PC-I was prepared in 2006 at a cost of Rs37 billion, the CDWP deferred it in 2008 for revision and inclusion of land acquisition and detail design.

According to the new PC-I, the cost of the project has been estimated at Rs77 billion. The MCI has been pinning hopes on the project as a long-term solution to the water crisis under which 655 million gallons per day (MGD) water would be arranged by the year 2050 in three phases.

In phase-I, 200 MGD water will be conducted/supplied for the twin cities - 100 MGD each for Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

The report said the current shortage of water was mainly due to the depletion of surface as well as ground sources owing to less than normal rainfall.

It said the population of Islamabad was 340,286 in 1981 which increased to 805,235 in 1998 and to 2,170,000 in 2018 at the average annual growth rate of 5.19pc.

The total domestic, civic, commercial and industrial water demand of the urban part of the city is 120 MGD whereas the total demand for the rural and urban areas was 220 MGD. The normal water production from available resources is 77.60 MGD.

At present, 61.71 MGD water from ground and surface resources is being supplied to sectorial areas, including the model villages.

Water levels in both the dams are near the deadlines: The dead level of Simly Dam is 2,233 feet and the current level is 2,250 feet while the dead level of Khanpur Dam is 1,910 feet and the currently level is 1,923 feet.

The report also highlighted other issues such as leakages from the supply lines which have outlived its useful life and un-accounted for water, including wastage that was around 30-40pc, illegal connections and water theft. Insufficient allocation of funds for repair/maintenance and replacement of lines was also a reason. The shortage of field vehicles and unscheduled and forced loadshedding during summer also added to the shortage of water.

The report said a survey had been carried out by the staff of the water supply directorate and the capital administration separately which pointed out water hydrants on 43 tubewells in rural areas.

It said notices had been issued to operators of the hydrants.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2018