Demand stands at 130.12 million gallons, while available supply is only 69.98 million gallons per day.
RAWALPINDI:
With the onset of summer, the city of Rawalpindi and cantonment areas besides Islamabad are facing a growing water crisis, as the daily water deficit has risen to 60.14 million gallons, and officials warn that the deficit is expected to rise further in the coming months.
At present, the combined daily water demand for Rawalpindi city and cantonment stands at 130.12 million gallons, while the available supply is only 69.98 million gallons per day.
Officials hope for future relief through the completion of the Chahan, Daducha and Cherah dam projects, which together are expected to provide an additional 80 million gallons of water per day. However, experts warn that when these plans come into operation, demand will have increased further due to rapid population growth.
According to official details, long-term plans to supply 200 million gallons of water daily to the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad in the first phase (eventually increasing to 500 million gallons per day in three stages via the Ghazi water canal from the Indus River) have remained effectively shelved.
As a result, the water situation in the twin cities is becoming increasingly alarming.
The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board currently needs 50 million gallons of water daily but receives only 12.78 million gallons from Khanpur Dam and tube wells, leaving a daily deficit of 37.22 million gallons and causing severe hardship to residents.
Meanwhile, according to the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), Rawalpindi city’s daily water needs amount to 70 million gallons, while the combined supply from Khanpur Dam, Rawal Dam and tube wells is only 51.5 million gallons, creating a shortfall of 18.5 million gallons per day.
