The long-delayed Ghazi Barotha water supply project has been included in this year’s annual development programme by the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA).
The long-delayed Ghazi Barotha water supply project has been included in this year’s annual development programme by the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA).
Officials claim that the action aims to offer a “permanent solution” to the problems with water supply in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, and the surrounding cantonment areas.
Wasa agrees to contribute 25% of the project’s cost, and the proposal suggests funding from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and cantonment boards.
To address the water shortage, the Commissioner announces the construction of the Dadocha and Mahota dams. In addition, phase one of the project will be implemented in three phases and is expected to cost Rs. 22.98 billion.
The twin cities will receive an additional 200 million gallons of water per day (MGD) as a result of phases I and II, and 250 MGD will be added as a result of phase III.
In order to provide a constant source of potable water from the Indus River System at Tarbela Dam, the project was first started in 2004–2005. However, due to disagreements over water distribution between provinces, it was abandoned in 2009.
The project for the CDA was given federal approval in 2016 following a deal among the provinces. The project will now likely cost more than Rs. 50 billion.
Punjab has agreed to give Islamabad and Rawalpindi its share of the water allotment, with Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa receiving the remainder.
A water structure, a water treatment facility, a water filtration facility, and a pump house are all part of the project at Tarbela Dam.
In addition, a 60-kilometer pipeline from Ghazi Barotha to the Sangjani Water Filtration Plant will be constructed.
The Ghazi Barotha water supply project has been formally incorporated into Wasa’s new district development programme, which the organisation intends to launch at the start of the new year.
Given that a water pipeline already exists from Sangjani to the twin cities and cantonments, the implementation of this project would effectively address the problems with water supply in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.