Rawalpindi’s Looming Water Crisis

Azhar Siddique 

Rawalpindi: With unchecked population growth and worsening water scarcity, residents of Rawalpindi are urging civic authorities to take timely action to prevent a looming water crisis.

This issue becomes particularly severe during summer, especially in congested areas, prompting residents to call on the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) to address the situation before the season begins.

Residents of areas like Dhoke Kala Khan, Qayyumabad, Muslim Town, Sadiqabad, Committee Chowk, Shah Khalid Colony, Bagh Sardaran, Adiala Road, Defence Road, New Lalazar, Morgah, Kalyal, Munawar Colony, Asghar Mall, City Saddar Road, Kohati Bazaar, Peoples Colony, and Dhoke Syedan Road experience the worst water shortages every year during peak summer.

While WASA operates 480 tube wells across the city, many of these wells face operational issues or struggle as water tables drop to depths of 400 to 600 feet in some areas. Even with 13 million gallons of water sourced daily from Rawal Dam and 6 million gallons from Khanpur Dam, WASA struggles to meet the increasing demand.

This situation forces many residents to rely on expensive tanker water, creating opportunities for exploitation by water tanker operators who charge exorbitant rates.

“Every summer we face water shortages, especially during peak season,” said Amjad Ali, a resident of Muslim Town. “Although the authorities claim uninterrupted water supply, our needs remain unmet.”

Ali also highlighted problems such as ruptured pipelines, low-capacity tube wells, and water wastage. He emphasized that water supply and conservation are shared responsibilities, but urged WASA to implement mechanisms to resolve these issues ahead of the summer.

Residents from other areas, including Ariya Mohallah, Dhoke Munshi, Rehmatabad, Noorani Mohallah, Banaris Colony Kachi Abadi, Dhoke Dalal Khan, Walyat Homes, and Mumtaz Colony, have echoed similar concerns, calling for a workable strategy to address the recurring water crisis.

Every summer, Rawalpindi residents face severe water shortages, despite assurances from authorities. Naeem Ahmed, a resident of Ariya Mohalla, lamented, “Despite the claims, many of us have to wait for water for hours, sometimes even days.” 

He added that whether the issue stems from a lack of resources or insufficient capacity, residents are the ultimate victims. Forced to buy water from private tanker operators, residents are paying twice—once to WASA and again to the tankers, which charge exorbitant fees.

Rashid Mahmood, another resident, drew the district administration’s attention to the unchecked exploitation by private water tanker operators. “They charge anywhere between Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 per tanker during the summer,” he stated, urging authorities to not only increase water supply capacity but also regulate the prices charged by these tankers.

As water shortages become a nationwide issue, residents called for efficient strategies and strict measures to ensure a judicious water supply, conservation efforts, and regulation of the “tanker mafia” to bring relief to consumers.

While some households have resorted to digging wells or installing boreholes, many lack the resources for such measures and remain reliant on WASA or private operators.

Commenting on the crisis, WASA Managing Director Muhammad Tanveer said the agency is making “all-out efforts” to address the issue.

“We are ensuring an uninterrupted water supply, and if shortages arise, they are met by supplying water through WASA tankers,” he said. He added that the staff is working to ensure full cooperation with citizens.

Supporting this claim, WASA’s Assistant Director Mohammad Ahmed and Sub Engineer Mohammad Tufail insisted there was no significant water supply issue in Rawalpindi. “We are aware of the situation and are working to improve the supply. We assure residents that the situation will improve in the upcoming summer,” they stated.

However, residents remain skeptical. “If there is no water shortage, why do we see so many private tankers supplying water to residential areas?” questioned Naeem Ahmed.

With Rawalpindi’s water deficit reaching 60 million gallons per day (MGD) during peak summer, authorities are hopeful that the construction of Dadocha Dam will provide some relief.

The dam, delayed for 13 years, is now underway following directives from Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab, Mohsin Naqvi. The Rs 14 billion project is expected to provide 35 MGD of clean water to the city once completed.

Given that water is a basic necessity for all citizens, residents have urged the authorities to devise a comprehensive, multi-pronged strategy to tackle the water crisis. The growing issue of water wastage is also seen as a challenge in the days ahead, with the country already nearing the international benchmark for water scarcity.