Rawalpindi city’s water problems

Rawalpindi: Everyone using water has to pay the bill directly to the water company. Just about every month, they shut our water for hours. When you call the water manager, to see what is going on they claim the Water Main has broken and they are fixing it. 

“This happens about once every month and sometimes several times a month. I don’t know what else to think other than they are benefiting from shutting our water off somehow,” says Zaigam Abbas.

“Every time they claim that the Water Main has broken. I never see any evidence that there are any issues. They claim the Water Main is somewhere at the Islamabad Expressway. I have looked each time the water is shut off and there is never any work going on anywhere, it is as if they are just shutting the water off for several hours each month,” adds Zaigam.

“And it’s not like it is off for an hour or two that I could possibly deal with, but sometimes they shut it off for a good 8 hours or more. When I call the concerned person he says he cannot do anything but I do not understand how that is so when these people are on the city water system. Aren’t there certain standards they have to adhere to for being hooked up to city lines,” says Wardan Ali.

“I just don’t understand this. It is frustrating not to mention unsanitary conditions when I have to go through most of my day not being able to shower or use the bathroom in my own house. From that standpoint alone, it seems like there should be someone that I can call about the issue. I just don’t know who else to contact other than the water body,” says Hasan Raza.

“I always address my question to the water body that provides the water. Water is usually highly regulated because it is a health and safety issue when pressure gets below a minimum level as contamination can seep into the piping,” says Ali Akbar.

“It sounds like this is a planned work, with no notice to the water users. I complain to the concerned department that no notice is given about pending water interruptions. What if you were taking a shower and suddenly the water stopped,” says Aon Muhammad.

“Most people don’t realise that washing dishes by hand uses much more water and energy than with using a dishwasher, as long as you do full loads in the machine. Washing machines, which are more water-and energy-efficient have the added advantage of using much less detergent,” says Kaneez Zainab.

Darian Haider says, “Then there is the issue of toilets. They are one of the largest water users in the house. Use less water there. I leave that to your imagination.”