RAWALPINDI: As the sewerage system in the garrison city covers only 30 per cent of localities, the Rawalpindi Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) has planned to lay a sewerage system in 28 more union councils at a cost of over R s1 billion.

The existing sewerage system was laid 50 years ago, and the undersized 150mm sewage lines, normally used for internal domestic sewers, have become old and rusty and can no longer bear the sewage burden of the growing population.

The existing sewerage facilities are limited to Satellite Town, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Mugha Singh Estate, Asghar Mall Scheme, Eidgah Scheme, Gulshan Dadan Khan, Dhoke Babu Irfan and some downtown areas.

In the remaining areas of the city, untreated sewage is disposed of into roadside drains where no sewerage system exists. This untreated sewage is discharged into 11major nullahs, which then flow into Leh Nullah.

The 11-kilometre-long Leh Nullah carries untreated sewage from the city and discharges it into the Soan River.

`There is a plan to upgrade the sewerage system in the garrison city to clean the environment and also stop flood-lil(e situations during the monsoon season,` said a senior Wasa official while talking to Dawn.

He said that under the Punjab Development Programme (Improvement of Sewerage, Storm Water Drains System in West Zone), Wasa will lay trunk sewers 71,350 Rft long, lateral sewers 281,200 Rft long and a cemented storm water drainage system with a total length of 7,200 Rft.

He said the basic purpose of the system is to ensure safe and efficient collection, treatment and disposal of wastewater.

It will also reduce urban flooding and improve storm water management.

He added that the project will strengthen the city`s resilience to climate changeand heavy rainfall events.

`As Wasa does not have enough resources to develop sanitation sources, the Punjab government will provide funds,` he said.

He said that union councils 1 to 20 and 33 to 41 will benefit in the initial phase. He added that this project will help achieve Sustainable Development Goal targets and provide sanitation services to the people.

He said the work will be completed in two years, with 40 per cent of the project completed in 2025, another 40 per cent in 2026-27, and the remaining 20 per cent in 2028.

`Punjab government will provide funds, while Wasa Rawalpindi will bear operation and maintenance costs from its own source funds.

Approximately 750,000 people will benefit from this, said Umer Farooq, Wasa spokesman, while speaking to Dawn.

He said sufficient and efficient sanitation services will be available to local residents.