LAHORE: As the underground water level is depleting by one meter annually, Wasa plans to inject 1,000 cusecs of surface water to Lahore`s supply system by 2035.

`We are in talks with the Punjab Irrigation Department for initially acquiring 100 cusecs water from the BRB Canal to cater the growing water need in the provincial capital by 2020,` said Wasa`s Deputy Managing Director Muhammad Naveed Mazhar. He was interacting with reporters at the ExpoCentre after inaugurating a twoday third Pak and Water Energy Expo on Wednesday.

Following reports about massive reduction in the country`s water table, especially in mega cities such as Lahore, the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the federal and provincial governments and the departments concerned havejoined hands toavert water crisis.

`Since the water level in Lahore is reduced by one meter annually, the consumers are being asked to avoid wasting clean water.

Recently Wasa disconnected water supply to over 180 car service sta-tions,` said Mr Mazhar.

He said the agency in association with other stakeholders is working on alternate sources of water and taking steps to arrest the trend of declining underwater levels. `To get benefit from the surface water the agency has finalised PC-1 to acquire 100 cusecs water from the irrigation department to inject in water distribution system and this quantity would reach up to 1,000 cusec by 2035,` he explained.

He said the agency had 750,000 water consumers but there are 40,000 meters in the city. `We are bringing more meters from outsidePakistan and are floating tenders soon. The objective is to conserve water,` he said.

He said measures were being taken to contain lavish use of water by controlling car wash and gardening. He said Wasa had not increased its tariff since 2004.

Kamran Abbasi, the event organiser, said more than 55 local and international companies were participating in the expo. `The companies from China, Turkey, Thailand and Spain are part of the two-day event which will also include the 1st International Conference in Pakistan on Water & Energy Research,` he said.