LAHORE: The Water and Sanitation Authority (WASA) is planning to build three more underground rainwater storages in the city, each costing between Rs 120 million and Rs 200 million, which will store 4.9 million gallons of rainwater.
Three sites have been identified for the construction of underground storages: Tajpura, Sherawala Gate on the Circular Road and Icchra with a storage capacity of 2.2 million gallons, 1.2 million gallons and 1.5 million gallons, respectively.
“The final cost of these reservoirs will be clear after the successful tendering of three projects. The designing of the underground water storages are almost completed which will be sent to the Lahore Development Authority’s Governing Body for approval next month,” WASA Lahore Vice Chairman Sheikh Imtaiz Mahmood said while talking to Business Recorder here on Wednesday.
He pointed out that the successes of the first such project at Lawrence Road encouraged them to expand it to other parts of the city. “At Lawrence Road, the underground rainwater storage with a capacity of 1.7 million gallons was built at a cost of Rs 150 million, which resolved the issue of flooding of roads in adjoining areas due to rains,” he added.
According to him, while designing these storages it is ensured that it fulfils three aims: drain out rainwater from streets and thus ensuring smooth traffic flow, store rainwater for recharging of underground water and use the stored water for horticulture purposes and thus lessening the burden on the underground water.
The WASA has set a target of building a total of 21 underground storages in the provincial capital in the next two years of which 11 by the next monsoon session. All will have a water-storage capacity of between 1.3 million gallons and 2.5 million gallons.
“The federal government has committed to providing the funds for these projects. It will provide US $2.9 million during the ongoing fiscal year (FY), and subsequently US $4 million in FY 2021-22 and US $5 million in FY 2022-23,” the WASA Chairman disclosed.
Moreover, outside the WASA jurisdiction areas, the Authority is intending to build the rainwater storage tanks in collaboration with the relevant authorities. Thus, in the vicinity of the Qaddafi Stadium, it will be a joint venture between the Pakistan Cricket Board and WASA. Moreover, at Babe-e-Pakistan on Walton Road WASA will collaborate with the Cantonment authority to build the storage facility.
“We are very much optimist that in the coming years we will able to resolve the issue of flooding of roads during the rainy sessions as well as conserve water for household use,” Sheikh averred.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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