RAWALPINDI: Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Rawalpindi here on Friday announced several measures to provide clean drinking water to the citizens.
The Managing Director (MD) WASA, Muhammad Saleem Ashraf in a message issued in connection with World Water Day said that solid steps would be taken to repair and renovate mini-filtration plants across the city besides addition of chlorine to improve water quality and timely replacement of filters at water filtration plants.
Every year the United Nations works on different themes to highlight the importance of water and this year’s theme is Water for Peace, he said and informed that the aim of this year’s theme is to ensure the equitable distribution of water throughout the world and the provision of clean drinking water to all people. Because unfair distribution of water is causing conflicts around the world which could be a precursor to major wars, he added.
The MD further said that where the whole world was facing many problems, there was also a shortage of
clean drinking water.
Efforts being made in this regard should be intensified, he said adding, it was need of the hour to make every citizen aware of the importance of water. Because in the coming times, there would be wars over the distribution of water, so the citizens should use water carefully, he said.
He said,’As Muslims, our religion also prohibits wastage of water.’
WASA Rawalpindi was trying to provide clean drinking water to the citizens. Work had been started on mega projects including supply of 12 million gallons of water per day from Chahan Dam, additional five million gallons of water per day from Rawal Dam and uninterrupted supply of water to six union councils of Khayaban Sir Syed.
Asian Development Bank was providing funds for these projects, he said and informed that along with this, rain harvesting system was being installed on 30 different buildings of the city with the support of UNHABITAT to secure the rain water.
Under the project, the rain water would be collected from the roofs i
n the underground tanks and this water would be used for horticulture. The step would help save clean drinking water, he added.
The MD said that in the current situation where WASA was making every possible effort to provide clean drinking water to the citizens, it is also the responsibility of the citizens to use water carefully.
He urged the citizens to cooperate with WASA and pay their water and sewerage bills on time.
The MD further said that in order to save and prevent wastage of water, WASA had improved the quality of water and taking measures day and night to eliminate the leakages of underground water pipes, which would not only save water but help control dengue.
He asked the officials to further improve the service delivery so as to enable uninterrupted water supply to the citizens particularly during Ramadan.
The MD said that the supply of clean drinking water to the citizens would be ensured from the mini-filtration plants during the hours of Sehar and Iftar in Ramadan.
Solid steps were bei
ng taken for immediate repair in case of malfunction of tubewells, he said adding, negligence on part of the officials concerned would not be tolerated.
According to a WASA spokesman, WASA Rawalpindi observed World Ward Day today with the aim to sensitize the public about the importance of utilizing water judiciously.
He said that there was a scarcity of water in Pakistan and in other countries of the world.
‘It is the need of the hour to augment new water sources to overcome the upcoming shortage of water in Pakistan, especially in the Potohar region,’ he said.
He said’ WASA Rawalpindi is making all out efforts to provide clean drinking water to the citizens and all possible efforts are being made in this regard while it is also their duty to use water carefully’.