The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has announced plans to construct two new dams. The decision comes after the approval of the Chairman and will involve inviting tenders under Section 42F of the PPRA rules. However, only government consulting firms such as NESPAK and Army engineering institutions will be eligible to participate in the tendering process.
The proposed dams, Chiniot Dam and Shahdara Dam, are expected to significantly boost the city’s water storage capacity. The Chiniot Dam will be constructed upstream of the Simly Dam, which has seen a 33% decrease in its storage capacity over time and currently stores 6,881 million gallons of water. The new dam is projected to have a water storage capacity of 18 to 20 million gallons.
On the other hand, the Shahdara Dam will have a storage capacity of 6 million gallons. This comes at a crucial time when the urban areas of Islamabad receive 80 million gallons of water daily, far less than the required 125 million gallons. This number further decreases when the water level in Simly Dam and Khanpur Dam falls. Currently, Simly Dam supplies 28 million gallons of water, which increases to 32 million when it’s full.
The CDA Board has also approved the hiring of a consultant firm to carry out a feasibility study and provide a report assessing the viability of the proposed dam projects. The Water Wing of CDA has already prepared the terms of reference for this purpose.
In addition to the dams, other sources of water supply include the Khanpur Dam, which supplies 9 to 9.5 million gallons of water, tube wells that supply 30 million gallons, and the Rawal Dam which provides 2 million gallons. Furthermore, the total water supply from Shahdara, Saidpur, and Noorpur is five million gallons of water.
These new dams are expected to significantly alleviate the water shortage issue faced by the residents of Islamabad, ensuring a more stable and reliable water supply for the city.