Wasa to complete rainwater tanks before monsoon

LAHORE:To coup up with urban flooding, Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) has planned to construct underground rainwater storage reservoirs, which will save 24.2 million gallons of water in the provincial capital.

As per Wasa’s plan, 13 underground rainwater storage reservoirs were to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs5.60 billion, documents available with the scribe revealed. They said three underground rainwater storage reservoirs have already been completed which included Lawrence Road (1.4MG water saving), Kashmir Road (1.5MG water saving) and Sheranwala Gate (1.5MG water saving).

The documents showed the remaining 10 were under construction and included Qaddafi Stadium (4.0MG water saving) at an estimated cost of Rs1.263 billion, Karim Park Ravi Road (1.8MG water saving) at an estimated cost of Rs589 million, Tajpura B-Block (3.2GM water saving) at an estimated cost of Rs1125 million, Garden Town (1.5MG water saving) at an estimated cost of Rs450 million, Cooper Road (1.5MG water saving) at an estimated cost of Rs480 million, Rasool Park, Shama Road (1.5MG water saving) at an estimated cost of Rs414 million, Tikka Chowk (1.5MG water saving) at an estimated cost of Rs562 million, Fruit and Vegetable Market AIT (1.5MG water saving) at an estimated cost of Rs612 million, Railway Station Park (1.8MG water saving) at an estimated cost of Rs623 million and Waris Road (1.5MG water saving) at an estimated cost of Rs546 million.

Wasa Managing Director Ghafran Ahmed while talking to the scribe said that construction of underground water reservoirs at sore points where rainwater usually accumulated was an innovative solution for the densely populated cities. He said the agency was making unique designs for these underground water tanks and has become pioneer in the country to introduce this innovative idea to combat urban flooding.

Ghafran Ahmed said the agency’s measures to deal with urban flooding were appreciated across the country and construction of similar tanks was under consideration in other cities, including Karachi, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and etc.

Wasa MD claimed that after completion of these projects, Lahorites will not witness stagnant rainwater at the sore points. He said storing rainwater was the need the time and the water will be reused for gardening purposes resulting in saving of precious groundwater.