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Khanpur Dam Water Crisis Threatens Islamabad, Rawalpindi
Khanpur Dam’s water level nears dead level, with just 35 days of supply left amid a prolonged dry spell. Authorities may halt irrigation to Punjab and KP. Wasa initiates crackdown, warns of severe rationing.
ND
by News Desk
2025-05-07
Khanpur Dam Water Crisis Threatens Islamabad, Rawalpindi

A severe water crisis looms over the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad as the water level in Khanpur Dam continues to drop, raising fears of major cutbacks in both domestic and agricultural water supply if the region doesn’t receive significant rainfall soon.

Located about 40 kilometers from Islamabad, Khanpur Dam has seen a worrying decline in its water levels, now standing at just 25 feet above the dam’s dead level of 1,910 feet above mean sea level (AMSL). The current level is 1,935 feet AMSL — a dangerously low threshold, according to dam authorities.

The reservoir, which draws inflows from the Margalla Hills and Galiyat, has suffered due to a prolonged dry spell and poor rainfall in its catchment areas. Rocks and dried mounds have become visible in the dam’s main reservoir and spillways, starkly showcasing the impact of climate change and dropping groundwater levels.

Officials say the remaining water can only meet demands for the next 35 days if the weather pattern does not change. WAPDA sources revealed that the inflow into the dam has plummeted to just 82 cusecs, while the outflow remains at 235 cusecs. Of this, 90 cusecs go daily to the Capital Development Authority (CDA), and 6.18 cusecs are distributed to smaller civic entities, including the University of Engineering and Technology in Taxila.

Furthermore, 48 cusecs are currently released to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 42 cusecs to Punjab for irrigation purposes. However, dam authorities now plan to suspend all irrigation supply to KP and Punjab as early as next week to preserve drinking water reserves for Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

In response to the crisis, the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) has activated a "Water Control Plan." This includes crackdowns on illegal water connections, fines on water bill defaulters, and restrictions on non-essential water usage. Officials warned that if the dry conditions persist, water rationing would become inevitable by mid-May.

Wasa Managing Director Mohammad Saleem Ashraf stated that Rawalpindi’s current water demand has crossed 50 million gallons per day, while supply hovers around just 30 million gallons — leaving a daily shortfall of 20 million gallons.

As the crisis intensifies, Wasa is finalizing a water rationing strategy to be rolled out later this month, further signaling the seriousness of the situation.

Khanpur Dam plays a crucial role in supplying water to both domestic and industrial sectors in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, while also supporting agricultural irrigation in surrounding regions. Without rainfall in the next 10 to 15 days, the dam’s level could fall to the dead level, effectively halting all water distribution except for critical needs.

 
Tagged:

rawalpindi

Islamabad

ClimateChange

WaterCrisis

KhanpurDam
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