ISLAMABAD: To ensure a continuous water supply to residents, the civic agency in Islamabad is set to allocate a significant portion of its budget to running power generators during power outages.
With the ongoing summer season, the federal capital is expected to face 6-8 hours of power load-shedding, posing a major challenge for the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in supplying water through its 180 tubewells and water stations.
The CDA draws approximately 28 million gallons per day (MGD) of water from tubewells, but without the installation of power generators, this is expected to decrease to 18 MGD.
The combination of unannounced power load-shedding and extreme heat has already led to water shortages in several areas.
To address the issue of power load-shedding and its impact on water supply, the CDA plans to establish contacts with the electricity supplier company.
The increasing population, driven by the development of new housing schemes and an influx of people from other regions, has raised the daily water demand in Islamabad to an estimated 200 MGD.
According to sources, the situation has become challenging for the capital city to meet its water requirements.
Residents in rural areas are particularly affected by power load-shedding, as non-functioning tubewells result in acute water shortages.
Water supply to the twin cities mainly relies on tubewells and the Khanpur, Simly, and Rawal Dams.
However, the substantial population growth in Islamabad and Rawalpindi in recent years has strained the water supply to the point of crisis.
An official stated that power generators have already been installed at tubewells and water stations to address power load-shedding issues. As a result, normal water supply will be maintained even during power outages.
Source: The News
