Islamabad: CDA plans to build six dams

[Naveed Yaseen]

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

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

He said currently there are 188 tube-wells in the federal capital to address water-related needs of the capital but as the water table is depleting fast, this source of water seems to be having no longer life, so “it is inevitable to ponder over log-term solutions for the water scarcity that includes construction of more dams and conduction of water from Indus River.” The official said though there is 1200mm rainfall every year but its percolation is less than 10% and ground water aquifer is depleting steeply and recharging is less than 3” to 6” in monsoon that is 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 is wasted.

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

“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 has been earmarked for housing schemes by private sector and the estimated cost of the Zone would be 30 lakh with minimum water requirement of 50 gallons per capita per day.

He said water supply project of Cherah Dam has been prepared in collaboration with Small Dams Organization with total cost of Rs5.3 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.

As per a study of Japan International Cooperation Agency, seven potential sites have been identified for small dams to meet future water needs of twin cities. 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 has also expedited work on the project of conduction of water pipeline from Tarbela Dam as a committee has been formed to get NOC from all provinces, in connection with getting additional water.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=180859