RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has announced new schemes to ensure the supply of clean drinking water across the province, with Rawalpindi selected as the first priority.
According to officials, 1,151 filtration plants will be installed in the Rawalpindi Division to provide safe drinking water to the public.
Divisional Commissioner Amer Khattak shared the details while chairing a meeting attended by district administration officers, Public Health Department officials, and other stakeholders. He appointed the additional deputy commissioner (headquarters) as the focal person for the “Clean Water” initiative.
All deputy commissioners have been directed to identify suitable government land such as schools, offices, police stations, or mosques for the installation of the filtration plants within a week. In case no state land is available, private land donations will be considered.
Commissioner Khattak stressed that providing clean water is a top priority of the government and ordered swift implementation so citizens can benefit at the earliest.
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Earlier, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had announced clean water projects for south Punjab and Potohar region during her visit to Rawalpindi on July 8.
She also promised an early solution to Murree’s water supply problem. Under the plan, the existing system in Murree will be repaired and upgraded to supply over 0.6 million gallons of clean water daily.
Mega Water Supply Projects:
The provincial government is also pushing two major projects to increase Rawalpindi’s water supply. The first is the DREAMS project (Developing Resilient Environment and Advancing Municipal Services), worth Rs34 billion, which will bring water from Chahan Dam.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has provided Rs34.124 billion in funding for this scheme. The second is the Daducha Dam project, costing Rs14 billion. The dam, being built on Ling River, will store rainwater from Murree and Kahuta hills in a lake near Sihala on Kahuta Road.
Once completed, the Daducha Dam will provide 35 million gallons of water daily (MGD) to Rawalpindi residents, helping resolve the city’s longstanding water shortage.
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