Pakistan Launches Water Crisis Plan

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) in Pakistan has established the Islamabad Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan to help address the city’s water shortage.

According to the plan, out-of-order tube wells and broken and damaged underground water supply lines, which are major source of water, will be repaired.

Float valves and leaky taps in government apartments will be repaired by special teams, and service stations will have a rationed supply available only at weekends.

Media will help the government promote water conservation measures and violators will be fined.

The biggest reservoir, Simly Dam, recorded the lowest water level in four years on 1 February 2010.

If the dry spell continues the daily water supply will be reduced from 17 million gallons per day (mgd) to 14mgd to prolong water stock usage up to 1 June.

Water from the Khanpur dam, the second largest reservoir, would be 6mgd up to 31 March, however, it would be reduced to 3mgd from 1 April to 31 May.

The CDA said that water supply to the capital would be reduced by 50% if the dry spell continued in the coming days.