Rawalpindi: The Water & Sanitation Agency (WASA) plans to automate its water supply network in order to alleviate water shortage in Rawalpindi, a news source.
By installing an automated water supply control system, the agency will be able to subdue the illegal activities of the ‘valve-men mafia’ operating in Rawalpindi.
WASA Chairman Arif Abbasi and Managing Director (MD) Muhammad Tanvir recently expressed their views on the matter during a meeting with representatives of the Information Technology University (ITU).
The ITU delegation provided a thorough briefing on the advantages of automating the Rawal Lake filtration plant, mini-filtration plants, and tube wells in the city. To facilitate this process, they extended ITU’s support to WASA.
The ITU experts stated that they can establish a remote-monitoring system that will record the number of hours the pumps and motors of the tube wells have worked. It will be programmed to record the duration of any specific operation, as well as to monitor the water level, discharge, and quality, along with power consumption.
Moreover, the system will track the amount of water supplied to consumers via the mini-filtration plants, and record the number of consumers availing the service. They added that the system would allow WASA to remotely monitor other basic parameters of water.
Regarding the proposed Rawal Lake filtration plant, the ITU delegation stated that it would be semi-automated. They added that its automation would help WASA track inflow and outflow of water online.
The said system is expected to help WASA maintain a certain level of water supply, as well as control water quality. The ITU delegation has offered to execute a pilot project in this regard. If it proves successful, the water agency would replicate the project across Rawalpindi.
In response, the WASA chief lauded the proposed initiative and directed the MD to commence work on the project on an immediate basis. The MD stated that the agency has selected five mini-filtration plants and the Rawal Lake filtration plant for automation purposes. He added that they will begin working on the project from next week onwards.
