Water quality of Rawal Dam declared satisfactory

Islamabad : The water quality standards in one of the only source of the garrison city of Rawalpindi have been reported to be satisfactory as contamination levels are recorded less harmful and hazardous.

“PAK-EPA teams are collecting samples from the Rawal Dam to ascertain pollutant levels in the water, however based on recent observations there is no serious threat posed to the water quality,” a PAK-EPA official told this agency.

“The water quality management and observation was the mandate of Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) which also shared its report regularly with PAK-EPA,” she added.

Moreover, the water was chlorinated through water treatment plant set up at the reservoir which used to treat all of the water coming through the dam.

There was no possible room left for unhygienic water supply under these circumstances, she added.

It may be mentioned here that extreme level of water contamination had caused large number of fish to die which raised concerns among the masses.

Director Fisheries Department Islamabad Capital Territory, Ghoufran Shehzad told APP that the housings established in the catchment areas of Rawal Dam including Bani Gala and other areas were dumping their household untreated effluent into the dam which was explicitly jeopardizing the marine life.

Soaking pits could help reduce the risk which has not been built by the locals residing in the vicinity where few of them have implemented it despite notices by the authorities, he added.

A WASA official informed that water chlorination was carried out in the treatment plant at Rawal Dam in line with the World Health Organisation prescribed standards.

“The water sampling has been carried out at the outer and inner inlets of the treatment plant to reckon the water quality,” he added.

To a question, he said fish died last year in Rawal Dam had occurred due to reduced levels of dissolved oxygen (DO) in reservoir’s water. He added that it happened due to the stagnation of water in the dam and less rainfall during that season.