Water & Sanitation Agency Faisalabad (Wasa) has been facing a large number of financial constraints in achieving the master plan targets. According to a update report of Wasa, the Punjab government has advised the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) city and (TMA) Saddar to allocate 40 percent of its funds for water and sanitation services, but the same are not being provided, resultantly, the most of the development work had become stand still.
According to report's vision, Faisalabad being the third largest city and fast becoming industrial hub specially the textile industry, it is anticipated that the need for water supply and disposal of sewerage would multiply in the coming years.
The present growth rate is 3.8 percent, which is expected to further increase due to industrial process and urbanisation. Wasa, due to financial constraints, in the past has not been able to implement the master plan, which was originally prepared in the year 1975-76 having five stages and all the stages were required to be completed by the year 2000.
Only phase-1 of the project could be completed up to the year 2000. The master plan was updated in the year 1993 up to the year 2018. Presently only 60 percent population is being served with water supply and up to 80 percent is being provided piped sewer whereas, the balance sewer is disposed through open drains. The sub soil water in and around Faisalabad City is highly brackish with a T.D.S. value ranging from 3000 to more than 5000 PPM, with this problem no shortcut arrangements for increasing the water supply could be implemented, sweet water is available either in the Chenab River belt area or on the Southern side in the Ravi River belt area.
The projects for underground water tapping would be framed based on these sources, which are off course very costly. Similarly being located on a flat alluvial plains there is no natural drainage existing in the city and multistage pumping has to be made to dispose sewer in irrigation drains.
It was admitted in the report that the proper treatment facilities have also not been developed according to master plan and disposal of raw sewer in the irrigation drains is also deter mental to the quality of sub soil water.
The master plan originally prepared by Binnie & Partners in the year 1975-76 was updated in the year 1993, which is applicable up to the year 2018.
The implementation problem with regard to the master plan exists due to financial constraints.
No development funds have been provided to Wasa, FDA, after the devolution in the year 2001. Small tertiary level of water supply and sewerage lines are being laid which are financed by the District Government. The TMA city and TMA Sadar Faisalabad do not have the financial capacity to execute primary/secondary level water supply, sewerage and drainage projects.
Anyhow, the local government as a matter of policy has directed the TMA city and TMA Sadar to allocate 40 percent development funds for water supply and sewerage projects, which are not being implemented. Some arrangements in addition to this have to be made for the financing of water supply projects in Faisalabad city. The possibility of establishing water production projects on BOT basis with the participation of private sector can be explored. However, in the field of sewerage disposal such arrangements appear to be difficult.
With this background, experts stated that the Wasa might either be included to the ADP programme or the TMA, may be provided equitable funds. Foreign donors may be invited to finance the major projects.
Development funds may be provided through PSDP and tariff structure be rationalised to include depreciation cost.
Presently, the Projects are in conforming of the Government policy to provide safe drinking water to the citizens and also to improve the environment in the present project, the sewer will be disposed off from the residential areas through laying of lateral sewer and trunk sewer.
Presently Wasa Faisalabad is able to provide safe drinking water to only 50 percent of the population of the city which is around 2.5 millions, the sewerage/drainage facilities is provided to 60 percent of the population.
It was worth mentioning that the Faisalabad was first provided with the potable water in the year 1903.
Subsequently, over the years, the water works were augmented. Likewise, by mid sixties, a partial sewer system was introduced to provide some facilities for the then increased population of 200,000 people.
However, little or no attention was paid to the aspect of effluent treatment and storm water drainage. While population and industrial growth made the facilities grossly inefficient and resulted in steady deteriorating environmental conditions.
Water & Sanitation Agency (Wasa) was created in 1978 for development operation and maintenance of water supply, sewerage and drainage system within the boundaries of the Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA). When Wasa took over the system from Faisalabad Municipal Corporation (FMC) about 50 percent population was being served with potable water at the rate of 7 gallons per capita per day.
Similarly a partial sewerage system existed in the city. Highlighting the current issues, Wasa sources stated that the operation and maintenance expenditure is dependent on electricity tariff, POL prices and inflation. The increase in the input cost is increasing burden on the available financial resources.
The institution support provided for the revenue recovery as arrears of land revenue is not effective. This situation is not only increasing the outstanding dues but had adverse affect on the recovery of current dues.
The development of the system is lagging behind the requirement to inadequate financial resources provided for this purpose. Inadequate facilities are one important reasons for low recovery.
The city water requirement was planned to be met through the development of underground water resources. However, the increased development of this source for agriculture purposes has threatened its availability for the city.
The funds provided by district government are for tertiary system. The development of secondary and primary system is not funded.
The waste water treatment works are required for improvement of environment. Due to not availability of funds required for construction of proposed waste water treatment works, the raw water is being disposed off into drains which had adverse environmental affect on the public on the down stream side and rivers where it is finally discharged.
The funds for Tameer-e-Punjab Programme is not provided direct to Wasa. The works are executed by Wasa but the payment is made through district accounts offices, which is time consuming and adversely affects development.
The government had advised the TMA city and TMA Sadar for allocation of 40 percent of its funds for water and sanitation services but such funds are not provided due to which the sector is facing financial constraints.
Wasa proposed to the Punjab government that the tariff applicable to water supply facilities have been changed from agriculture tube well tariff to scarp tube well tariff. Which need to be restored and extended for sanitation services also.
A mechanism needs to be established for yearly adjustment of tariff structure of water and sanitation services to offset to offset the burden of increased cost of energy input.
Adequate financial resources need to be provided to fill the gap in the master plan targets. More autonomy in generation of development funds through private participation and investment funds from financial institution may help to meet the requirement of financial resources.
The improved institutional support is required for the improvement of revenue recovery.
Special allocation of canal water supplies for the city is required. A storage dam on the nearby River Chenab / Ravi may be the feasible solution.
The federal and Punjab governments should provide funds for the development of primary and secondary infrastructure for water and sanitation services.
Government needs to provide adequate funds for the construction of waste water treatment facilities to offset the environment degradation affect of raw water disposal.
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