Islamabad’s water woes have reached a tipping point, and city managers are now racing against time to safeguard the capital’s dwindling underground reserves. In a decisive move, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has approved the construction of 20 large water tanks and 100 recharge wells across the city, aiming to both replenish the aquifer and manage floodwaters during heavy rains.
The plan comes amid alarming statistics — Islamabad’s water table is dropping by at least four feet every year. With no major new water source added in over three decades, rapid urban expansion has only intensified the crisis. CDA Chairman Mohammad Ali Randhawa, chairing a meeting on Friday, directed Director General Water Sardar Khan Zimri to fast-track the project.
Technical details of the project
“These tanks will be located at the foothills of the Margallas, with the capacity to store between 200,000 and 500,000 gallons per day,” Zimri explained. “The recharge wells, each 15 feet wide and 25 feet deep, will be strategically placed across the city. They will not only help restore the groundwater table but also reduce the risk of urban flooding.”
The project, expected to start within a month, is seen as a crucial short-term measure while larger initiatives like the Ghazi Barotha/Tarbela mega project — designed to bring 200 million gallons of water daily to Islamabad and Rawalpindi — are underway.
Read more: Govt to build 1 million gallon modern underground water tanks in Rawalpindi
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently formed a dedicated task force to address the water emergency, with the goal of completing the Tarbela scheme within three years.
Currently, CDA supplies just 62 mgd (million gallons daily) against a demand of 283 mgd, leaving a staggering shortfall of over 175 mgd. Masses in some neighborhoods are being encountered with rationing, with water supplied only on alternate days, while rural communities rely almost entirely on boreholes and small schemes.
Officials keep on hoping that, once operational, the tanks and recharge wells will offer a lifeline — storing precious rainwater, replenishing underground reserves, and giving Islamabad’s parched residents some much-needed relief until the bigger projects come online.