CDA plans six dams to meet water needs

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

* Official says fast depleting water table seems to be lacking in life * CDA is producing 60 MGD water against demand of 115 MGD
* Seven sites have been identified for small dams

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has planned to build six small dams in the federal capital to cope with water scarcity that is feared to get worse with the increase in population and development of more residential sectors.

“We are planning to construct six small dams in the federal capital to address water scarcity in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The feasibility report of the projects has been prepared and the projects would be initiated after preparation of PC-I and allocation of funds,” said a senior CDA official.

Tube wells: He said currently there were 188 tube wells in the federal capital to address water-related needs of the capital but as water table was depleting fast, this source of water seemed to be having no longer life. “It is inevitable to consider long-term solutions for the water scarcity that includes construction of more dams and conduction of water from Indus River,” he said.

The official said though there was 1200mm rainfall every year but its percolation was less than 10 percent and ground water aquifer was depleting steeply and recharging was less than 3 to 6 percent in monsoon that was less than the ratio of abstraction.

Commenting on the deteriorating water situation, the official said the city fathers could not upgrade the water supply network, which was due after every decade, adding that due to dilapidated condition of supply network and non-judicious use, almost 60 percent of water was being wasted.

He said currently CDA was capable to treat 110 MGD water against the demand of 115 MGD and the situation would get worse when the authority would develop more residential sectors and more housing schemes would be developed.

Demand: “We have so far developed only 23 sectors and currently, CDA is producing 60 MGD water against the demand of 115 MGD. It is inevitable we take concrete measures to tackle the issue on war-footing,” said the official.

He said Zone V of Islamabad Capital Territory had been earmarked for housing schemes by private sector and the minimum water requirement was 50 gallons per capita per day.

He said water supply project of Cherah Dam had been prepared in collaboration with Small Dams Organisation with total cost of Rs 5.3 billion. The project, to be executed on Soan River with gross storage 82.95mcm and live storage of 60mcm per year, has been cleared by PDWP and forwarded to CDWP for NOC, he said.

Sites: As per a study of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), seven potential sites have been identified for small dams to meet future water needs of the twin cities, said the official.

The official said a boost reservoir would also be built in sector D-11 against pumped supplies from Shah Allah Ditta that would cater for supplies to the topographically elevated sectors of F-10 and 11 and G-10 and 11 with sufficient leftover hydraulic head to allow for activation of overhead reservoirs in sectors G-10/2.3 and F-11/1.

He said the authority had also expedited work on the project of conduction of water pipeline from Tarbella Dam as a committee had been formed to get NOC from all provinces, in connection with getting additional water. app