RAWALPINDI: The supply of water from Khanpur Dam to Rawalpindi city and cantonment areas and Islamabad will be suspended from Feb 1 to 12 due to a week-long dredging of the channel from the reservoir to the Sangjani filtration plant.

The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB), Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) and the Capital Development Authority will jointly carry out the dredging of the 19.5-km-long left bank channel.

The RCB is getting nine million gallons daily (MGD), Wasa six MGD and CDA 10 MGD from the dam. A total of 25 MGD is supplied to the twin cities.

“In those areas which receive water from Khanpur Dam, we will supply water through tankers,” said RCB spokesman Qaiser Mehmood.

The localities to be affected in the cantonment included Westridge 1, 2, 3, Aliabad, Allahabad, Misrial Road, Peshawar Road (lanes 1-7), Tench Batta, Allama Iqbal Colony, Kamalabad, Dhoke Syedan Chowk, Adiala Road, Lalazar and Tulsa Road.

There are some tubewells in these areas but they are not sufficient to fulfil the needs of the thickly populated localities.

During the period, Wasa will suspend supply to Dhoke Hassu, Dhoke Matkal, Ratta Amral, Pirwadhai, Pindora, Double Road Shamsabad, Mulpur and Sadiqabad.

Wasa officials said the supply to nine localities would be stopped for two days - Feb 1 and 2 - after which they would be connected with Rawal Dam.

However, water tankers would be provided to those who would face problems.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2019