Contaminated water being supplied to residents of twin cities

Polluted and contaminated water being supplied to the residents of twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi from Rawal Lake is a continuous health hazard as well as source of many waterborne diseases mostly affecting infants under five years of age.
Wastage disposal of Housing schemes like, Golf City of Bahria Town, Poultry Farms, Bari Imam, Diplomatic Enclave is polluting the water of Rawal Lake, which is main source of water supply to Islamabad and Rawalpindi. According to documents made available to Business Recorder, Director General, Environment Ministry Jawad Ali Khan told Cabinet Division that the total catchments area of the Rawal Lake is approximately 275 square kilometres. He said that many streams pour their water in the Rawal Lake.
He said that the area varies in height from 534 metres at the Rawal Lake up to 2100 metres near Murree. Approximately half of the catchments area fall within the boundaries of Islamabad Capital Territory, while remaining is in Murree Tehsil.
"Korang River is the main source of water supply to Rawal Lake. This river carries 44 tons/day pollution with BOD of 565 mg/L when it enters Golf City of Bahria Town where pollution load attains its highest level of 78 tons/day. Despite this, almost all housing schemes have no wastewater treatment facilities, thus discharging waste into the Korang River, which ultimately enters Rawal Lake," he informed the Cabinet Division.
He said that two streams viz Quaid-e-Azam University stream, Bari Imam and Diplomatic Enclave stream together were found to have the highest pollution load adding to overall contamination of water in Rawal Lake. Similarly, Managing Director Wasa told Cabinet Division that drastic water quality deterioration is taking place due to unplanned urbanisation poultry farming and discharge of waste water into Rawal Lake. He said that Capital Development Authority (CDA) should also immediately ban boating and development of new housing schemes polluting the water of the Lake.
The District Co-ordination Officer Rawalpindi told the Cabinet Division that provincial government is aware of the gravity of the problem of contamination of Rawal Lake Water. He said that no new housing scheme is being approved in the lake's catchement area.
The government is taking various steps to reduce pollution of water at Rawal Lake. He said that in this regard, the management of Bahria Golf City has been asked to provide sewerage treatment plant and they are now providing sewerage treatment (STPs) in the scheme. He said that the housing schemes have been asked to provide proper dumping sites for disposal of solid waste and poultry farm owners have been issued notices and asked for proper dumping of poultry waste.