Rawalpindi: The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has scrapped its tube well system in the garrison city – a news source reported.
WASA said it took this decision due to an alarming drop in underground water levels. The agency plans to acquire water from Neelum-Jhelum and Ghazi Barotha water system.
According to sources, WASA has informed the chief minister and other officials concerned about its decision. It has also constituted a team to conduct a feasibility study. This team will look into the pros and cons of attaining water from Chahan and Jawa dams.
As per reports, WASA maintains at least 450 tube wells in Rawalpindi. In addition to these wells, the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) maintains 400 tube wells. The private sector, on the other hand, owns more than 5,000 tube wells.
According to estimates, water levels have fallen by 700 to 1,000 feet in Rawalpindi. Experts have called for an end to the installation of tube wells. They reason that even 50 new tube wells will cause the water table to decline by 200 to 300 feet.
