RAWALPINDI: According to media reports, the district administration of Rawalpindi has announced a water emergency. The city is facing a drought-like situation due to decreasing water resources.
This is the second time in the year that a water emergency has been declared by the authorities.
The water demand of the city stands at 50 million gallons daily; however, only 30 million gallons are available to the city, leaving the water deficit at 20 million gallons daily. The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Managing Director, Muhammad Saleem Ashraf, said.
Moreover, according to the WASA report, Khanpur Dam now contains only enough water to last one month, while Rawal Dam’s reserves may sustain the city for up to three months under current consumption patterns.
The chronic lack of precipitation has increased the region’s reliance on tube wells and alternative water sources. Officials attribute fast population expansion and rising business activity to accelerated water resource reduction.
According to local meteorologists, rainfall patterns have persistently fallen below seasonal norms, with little quick respite forecast. Climate monitoring stations around Punjab province have reported much lower precipitation levels than in the past.
