Punjab Plans Rs. 31 Billion Water Project for Lahore

The Punjab government has unveiled a Rs. 31 billion initiative to decrease Lahore's dependence on groundwater by treating water from the BRB Canal for potable use. As reported by the Associated Press of Pakistan, the Surface Water Treatment Plant near Bhaini Road will initially handle 54 million gallons of water daily, with the capacity slated to escalate to 540 MGD in due course.

The Central Development Working Party has granted preliminary approval to the project's PC-I, which must now traverse the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council for ultimate clearance. Construction will commence upon receiving final endorsement from ECNEC. Presently, WASA Lahore manages 594 deep tube wells, pumping approximately 329 million gallons of groundwater into the city per day.

The project will be partly funded through a $235 million financing package from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) for Lahore's water and wastewater management schemes. The overarching goal of this endeavor is to safeguard Lahore's dwindling groundwater reserves by progressively substituting a portion of the city's groundwater intake with treated canal water.