100MGD water from Ghazi Barotha Dam to Islamabad: CDA-PCRWR sign MoU on technical support, supply

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate for conducting ground water assessment, devising regulatory framework and implementing groundwater recharge. This MoU was signed for a three years collaboration.

In the wake of severe water shortages in the federal capital, the government has planned to bring 100MGD from Ghazi Barotha Dam. Under this MoU, both sides will cooperate in research, sharing facilities, training and dissemination of knowledge and information besides to organize seminars, workshops, round tables, technical sessions, walks and other events to generate mass awareness for water conservation in the federal capital.

The PCRWR will provide technical support for managing safe water supply in Sector 1-10 and piloting of water metering, for providing technical support for the implementation of rainwater harvesting PC-1 for groundwater recharge, conducting complete groundwater resource assessment, assisting in drafting groundwater regulatory framework in Islamabad, providing technical assistance for the estimation of system losses in water supply and for providing an effective design for recycling of wastewater for multiple uses.

The CDA will be responsible to manage safe water supply in Sector 1-10 through piloting of water metering and public awareness, to implement rainwater harvesting PC-1 for groundwater recharge in Islamabad; to provide necessary information and data for completion of groundwater resource assessment by PCRWR, to get approval for groundwater regulatory framework for Islamabad and to develop an automatic system for the estimation of system losses for managing demand and supply gap.

According to an official statement issued here by the Planning Ministry, that Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar chaired a meeting to review the progress on MOU signed between CDA and Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) here in Islamabad on Tuesday. The agreement was signed on July 8, 2021. Special Assistant to PM on CDA Ali Nawaz Awan, Chairman CDA, Chairman PCRWR, DC Islamabad, and senior officials of relevant departments attended the meeting.

The Chairman PCRWR briefed the meeting on the water supply issues not only in the sectors of Islamabad, but also in suburban areas of the entire ICT region. He informed that at the end of this year they will complete the feasibility study for identifying the flow of water and where ponds can be made for capturing water from streams to raise the underground water level. Similarly, recharge wells and water supply tube wells will also be completed in the current financial year.

Addressing the meeting, Federal Minister Asad Umar said that the citizens of Islamabad are suffering from a water shortage. The current average demand of Islamabad of 246 MGD, right now the major water supply sources are Simly and Khanpur Dams, besides 94 tube wells which supply a meagre 80 MGD. He said that the groundwater level is falling rapidly and has dropped to the lowest levels. He further added that another project for carrying water from Ghazi Barotha is in the pipeline. The Ghazi Barotha project will initially provide 100 MGD to the citizens of Islamabad.

In the meantime, before this project is completed in 3 to 4 years, immediate steps are needed to reduce the water shortage in Islamabad. Therefore, this short-term project for raising the water table has been planned. This project is being prioritized and its feasibility study will be completed by the end of this year. Umar said that this initiative will provide additional water supply to the citizens of Islamabad before next summer.

The Minister for Planning also appreciated the efforts of PCRWR for rainwater harvesting for groundwater recharge in ICT. Moreover, he emphasized setting up the field activities and completing a comprehensive water resource assessment in the entire ICT by December 2021.