Pakistan, Islamabad: poor management is cause of water shortages, experts claim

Updated - Friday 29 May 2009

Experts predict that the city’s water shortage problem is going to worsen, not for want of water but due to poor management. They ask why the responsible agency, the Capital Development Authority (CDA), is not taking action to conserve water and plug leakages. Half of Islamabad now has to rely on water tankers and more than 50 per cent of water entering the distribution system is lost due to leakage.

“CDA has no idea how water table is dropping because of the numerous private tube wells. Today, streams have disappeared. Sewerage water contaminates ones that have survived. There should be fines on wasting this precious source at car washes, for tank overflows at homes, and gardening etc.,” fumes Helga Ahmed, an environmentalist.

An Environment Ministry official said the CDA practice of lining storm drains with concrete was preventing recharge of aquifers. However, a source in CDA explained that the natural streams were being lined with concrete only at places where residential areas or major constructions are in danger of flooding.

See also the report of the “Seminar on Improvement in Water Supply System in Islamabad”, organised by the Human Resource Development (HRD) Society and CDA on 06 May 2009.

Web site: Capital Development Authority - Water Supply Directorate & Water & Sewerage Development Directorate

Related news: Pakistan, Islamabad: alarming fall in water table, Source Weekly, 17 Sep 2008

Source: Jamal Shahid, Dawn, 11 May 2009