Islamabad: After an unusually long dry spell after a hot and dry monsoon season this year, Pakistani capital Islamabad is facing a water crisis.
Water levels in the Simly dam and Khanna dam have fallen as winter rolled around. Coupled with falling levels of ground water means that tube wells, which are a major source of water, have been unable to slake the capital’s thirst.
“Areas, particularly those areas which are fed by rains including Islamabad, may have to face an acute water shortage if the ongoing dry spell continues for next few months,” Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) Chairman Dr Muhammad Ashraf said.
He said that due to long dry spell, underground water resources were under greater pressure.
Earlier in December, Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) Chief Officer Muhammad SuleymanWarriach had said that the capital has a demand of 125 million gallons per (mgd) day but was only getting 50mgd, a deficit of 75 mgd.
Simly dam usually makes up a quarter of the water which Islamabad gets, supplying 39mgd at peak.
