Wasa imposes heavy fines to curb water wastage amid rising demand

Rawalpindi:The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) Rawalpindi has started imposing fines on consumers found wasting water, in line with a court order. Domestic users will face a fine of Rs10,000, while commercial establishments will be fined Rs20,000 for water wastage.

Following directives from Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering, Bilal Yasin, Wasa has formulated a comprehensive strategy to ensure uninterrupted supply of clean drinking water during the peak summer season.

Managing Director Wasa, Muhammad Saleem Ashraf, said that the recent heatwave and abrupt weather changes have significantly increased water demand. Currently, Wasa supplies around 51 million gallons of water per day to Rawalpindi’s residents, falling short of the daily demand, which stands at 70 million gallons. To bridge this gap, several measures are being taken, including extending the operating hours of tube wells.

Efforts are also underway to reduce water wastage within the supply system. "Leakages are being identified and repaired, and efforts are being made to ensure uniform water supply across all areas," the MD said. In areas affected by power outages, the operation of tube wells is being synchronized with electricity schedules to maintain water supply.

Encouragingly, the public is showing a growing sense of responsibility by adopting water-saving practices in their daily routines. “We are taking strict action against water wastage as per the court’s orders,” said MD Wasa. “Consumers are also being advised to use water responsibly and avoid overflow from household tanks.”