Punjab’s Water and Sanitation Agencies (WASAs) have been directed to finalize all monsoon-related preparations by May 31, with a strong emphasis on improving revenue collection to maintain essential public services.
WASA Rawalpindi Managing Director Muhammad Saleem Ashraf shared that the agency recovered Rs1.7 billion last year, surpassing its annual target of Rs1.57 billion. The current target for the fiscal year is Rs2.3 billion, and he expressed confidence in exceeding it. These funds are critical for the agency to sustain water and sewerage services and manage seasonal challenges.
To bolster capacity, WASA Rawalpindi has requested funding from the Punjab Government for the cleaning of Leh Nullah and 15 major drains in the city. The agency has already identified flood-prone areas in coordination with the district administration and is preparing ground teams with machinery for deployment during peak monsoon periods.
Operationally, the agency reported that sewer line cleaning is underway and will be completed before the monsoon. Its heavy machinery fleet—sucker and jetting machines, along with dewatering pumps—is fully functional and ready for emergency response. Five monsoon camps will be set up across Rawalpindi, operating 24/7, supported by a control room at the agency’s head office to manage complaints and real-time monitoring.
PWSA Director General Tayyab Farid, during a performance review meeting on Saturday, emphasized that timely revenue recovery is vital for sustaining basic infrastructure and emergency preparedness. He directed all five WASAs in the province to complete technical readiness—including machinery repairs, sewer cleaning, and monsoon camp setups—by the May 31 deadline, ahead of the pre-monsoon season which begins on June 15.
Farid also instructed agencies to conduct joint training exercises with emergency responders such as Rescue 1122 and ensure early identification of vulnerable low-lying areas. The meeting was attended by the managing directors and officers of all five WASAs.
