RAWALPINDI:Vice Chairman, Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Malik Muhammad Ali Awan here on Wednesday directed the authorities concerned to take all possible steps to improve financial affairs of Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Rawalpindi.
During a briefing, Managing Director (MD) WASA Muhammad Tanveer informed the Vice Chairman that WASA was supplying water to its consumers daily from three different sources including 10 million gallons from Rawal Dam, six million gallons from Khanpur Dam and 35 million gallons from tube wells.
The MD said that WASA was facing a shortage of 17 million gallons of water per day. Various projects were underway to meet fast-growing water demand of the citizens. Chahan Dam project for supply of 12 million gallons, plan to get five million gallons additional water from Rawal Dam, Dadhocha dam project to supply clean drinking water to the citizens, feasibility study for underground water situation and plans to ensure round-the-clock water supply in Khayaban Sir Syed area are worth mentioning.
Investment for these projects would be provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for which survey work has already been started.
The MD further informed the Vice Chairman that WASA was providing water as well as sewage facilities to 35 percent of the city area.
WASA’s heavy machinery including water bowsers, sucker and jetting machines and de-watering sets are used to clear sewerage lines. During monsoon drainage of rainwater from low-lying areas are also done with the same machinery.
Referring to the problems being faced by WASA, the MD said that the scarcity of underground water has made it difficult to depend on tube wells and the cost of obtaining water from tube wells is also increasing. The electricity rates have gone up a lot due to which the electricity bills of WASA have increased while the tariff of WASA was not increased since 2009 and even today WASA is charging a monthly bill of Rs 98 from the consumers living in up to five marla houses. In this regard, Punjab government is giving annual subsidy of Rs 200 million to WASA which was not increased since 2010.
On this occasion, the Vice Chairman said that water and sewerage are basic facilities which are the responsibility of WASA and all possible measures which are necessary for this purpose would be taken immediately.
The government would also be requested to increase WASA tariff as well as the subsidy to meet the rising costs of the agency.
He further said that the consumers would be facilitated for timely payment of WASA bills.
“A public awareness campaign would also be launched which would be supervised by him. We will have to work hard to further improve the performance of WASA,” the Vice Chairman said.
Deputy Managing Director WASA Muhammad Saleem Ashraf, Director Water Supply, Director Finance and other officers were also present on the occasion.