Citizens asked to save water while washing hands

LAHORE:The increase in daily water consumption due to repeated hand washing by citizens as a measure to fight coronavirus is putting an enormous pressure on underground water aquifer as well as an extra financial burden on Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa).

Statistics collected from Wasa showed that earlier daily average water pumping by Wasa was around 540 million gallon per day, which means around 50 gallon per person per day.

Statistics revealed that since the pandemic hit the country, people have increased use of water due to washing hands and at present the daily average pumping by Wasa through tube-wells increased to 750 million gallon per day, which means around 80 gallon per person per day. Since the lockdown, majority of citizens are staying at home and as per the instructions of medical experts have adopted the habit of washing hands with soap for 20 seconds. During this time, in most of the cases, the tap remains running, which should be turned off while one is rubbing soap on his/her hands, said Syed Zahid Aziz, Wasa managing director, while talking with this scribe.

This has put an enormous stress on underground water aquifer of the provincial metropolis, said the Wasa MD. Besides this, Wasa has to bear extra financial cost in shape of increased electricity bills as the agency has to run its tube-wells for more time, he added. Talking about other measures, he said Wasa has also increased the quantity of chlorine mixed in drinking water because it will help fight coronavirus. He said he has also written a letter to the Provincial Cooperatives secretary to direct the cooperative housing societies to start adding chlorine to their water supply lines.

The Wasa MD said that Nadra and Pakistan Post have also stopped receiving water bills in the ongoing lockdown situation while routine commercial banks were witnessing huge rush of the public. This situation will also result in a decreased revenue collection of the agency during the month of March and April.

He has appealed to the citizens to continue washing hands but close the tap while rubbing their hands. He said underground water is a precious resource and it should be saved for future generations.