3 days ago
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- Business Recorder
Punjab govt launches ‘smart water plan' for Lahore
LAHORE: The Punjab government has launched an ambitious smart water management plan aimed at eliminating wastewater discharge into the River Ravi and achieving a waste-free water supply for Lahore.
The plan includes the construction of six wastewater treatment plants at key outfall locations throughout the city. In the first phase, construction will begin on two major plants: the Babu Sabu plant, with an estimated cost of around Rs 60 billion, and the Kattar Bund plant, with estimated cost of Rs 23 billion. Both projects will be funded by international donor agencies.
To discuss these initiatives, Punjab's Secretary for Housing, Urban Development, and Public Health, Noor ul Amin Mengal, chaired a meeting where Lahore Water and Sanitation Authority (WASA) Managing Director Ghufran Ahmad provided an overview of the proposed plan.
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During the meeting, the Secretary stated that once these treatment plants are completed, wastewater in Lahore will be fully reusable, significantly improving water quality. He explained, 'Instead of discharging sewage into the Ravi or canals, the treated water will be repurposed for agricultural use.' He also directed relevant departments to develop a coordinated plan for the agricultural reuse of water and stressed, 'Smart utilization of resources is crucial. Under the direction of the Punjab Chief Minister, we are addressing issues across all districts equally to ensure sustainable development and access to clean water for all.'
In a separate meeting, WASA Punjab Director General Tayyab Fareed and WASA Rawalpindi Managing Director Saleem Ashraf provided an update on the master plan designed to revamp Rawalpindi's water and sewerage system.
They reported that work is actively underway to develop a comprehensive water supply and sewerage master plan for Rawalpindi under the Punjab Development Programme. A critical component of this plan is the construction of the Chirah Dam, which will add 28 million gallons of water per day to the city's supply. Additionally, WASA Rawalpindi will install surface water treatment plants and develop a modern water distribution network to ensure all residents have access to clean water, as currently only 40 percent of the city's sewerage system is operational.
The Secretary emphasized that this coverage would be expanded to 100 percent and that underground water tanks would be constructed throughout the city for efficient rainwater management.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
