Wasa ready to combat urban flooding

LAHORE : To combat urban flooding, Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has taken all precautionary measures here on Saturday.

Met officials predicted urban flooding as a result of pre-monsoon rains in the city. Managing Director Wasa Syed Zahid Aziz also directed the Wasa administration and operations departments to issue high alert and directed that all the field staff should be ready to meet any eventuality.

Emergency camps were established at 26 sore points before the onset of monsoon, MD Wasa said adding field staff will remain active in the field when rain starts. He further said that de-watering sets have also been installed at relevant locations.

MD Wasa directed the field staff that in case of rain, 100% operation of all disposal stations should be ensured. The third phase of cleaning of all drains and sewer lines was underway and should be completed before the monsoon season.

Meanwhile, the third mobile water testing lab of Wasa has started working. MD Wasa Syed Zahid Aziz inspected the newly constructed mobile lab at Wasa Head Office. He said that the mobile lab was equipped with state-of-the-art water testing facilities.

He said that the mobile lab will participate in water testing from different parts of the city on a daily basis. DMD (O&M) Ghaffar Ahmed and Chief Chemist Wasa Zainab Abbas were also present on the occasion and briefed the MD Wasa on the functions of the newly launched mobile water testing lab.

Furthermore, Wasa launched trial of digital complaints system and MD Wasa gave a briefing to Wasa’s Vice Chairman Sheikh Imtiaz Mahmood. MD Wasa said that the Complaint Monitoring System will be formally inaugurated soon.

VC Wasa Sheikh Imtiaz said that Wasa was making Lahore the best institution to serve the people. He said the new system will register all water complaints online. He said the users will also be able to know the status of their complaints through the Android application.

MD Wasa said that monitoring screens will be installed in the offices of all directors including MD Office and DMD Office. “Wasa is introducing IT reforms to provide better facilities to the citizens of Lahore,” concluded MD Wasa.