Water conservation project: Capital to have rainwater harvesting facility

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

* Rainwater Harvesting Project initiated at Faisal Mosque compound
* CDA to replicate this network across the capital

ISLAMABAD: Keeping in view water scarcity across the country, a programme has been introduced in capital to use rainwater for raising crops and drinking purpose.

The federal capital has become the first city of the country to have a rainwater harvesting facility to re-charge the underground water table.

The Pilot Rainwater Harvesting Project has been initiated at the compound of Faisal Arrangements: Masjid. However, Capital Development Authority (CDA) has made comprehensive arrangements to replicate this network across the capital to benefit from rain, a primary source of water.

The project has been initiated by the CDA in collaboration with the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) and Pakistan Council of Research for Water Resources (PCRWR).

Amendment: Islamabad has a huge potential to benefit from this concept to overcome the water shortage in the city. An amendment has been made in the CDA building by-laws for construction of rooftop water collection/rainwater harvesting systems in houses built on plots having area of 400 square yards or more.

Study: The study for standardising the roads drainage network for future-sectors is being carried out to have rainwater harvesting for making the new sectors environment friendly.

Bio-remediation: Cleaning of ravines, being the integral part of rainwater harvesting mechanism is being carried out in collaboration with the partner organisations. Under this programme, Barri Imam streams are being cleaned with bio-remediation techniques with the technical assistance of Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC).

This model would be replicated in other streams to revive their natural flow. A task force, comprising CDA officers and civil society, has been constituted for cleaning of the streams and ravines.

A task force has successfully taken up the work of cleaning of ravine of Sector E-7 where substantial work has been done. The CDA has taken up the issues with major polluters including Air and Naval Headquarters and housing societies in Sector E-11 and has urged them for construction of their own Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs).

Metro Cash and Carry Store and Quaid-e-Azam University are constructing their own STPs. Similarly, the entire sewage of the Village Chak Shahzad has been diverted to NARC farm for treatment through bio-remediation and utilisation of the treated water by NARC.

The CDA is making concrete efforts to make Islamabad an environment-friendly city and a model municipality for the rainwater harvesting initiatives. The cooperation of the allied organisations is imperative to make this venture a success. The CDA has started imposing penalties on those involved in water wastage with a view to conserve water for day-to-day needs. app