Islamabad: In a significant restructuring effort to boost operational efficiency and enhance service delivery, the federal government has shifted the responsibility for water management in Islamabad from the Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) to the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

According to Zameen.Com, the move, sanctioned by the federal cabinet and formalized through a notification by the Ministry of Interior, is aimed at centralizing water supply, sewerage, and drainage under a singular authority. This change is expected to address longstanding inefficiencies and meet the increasing water demands of the city more effectively.

The reorganization includes the establishment of a new autonomous water management wing within the CDA, named “Islamabad Water.” Modeled after the successful framework of Rawalpindi’s Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), this wing will control the capital’s water supply mechanisms, including the management of Simly Dam, Khanpur Dam, and limited resources from Rawal Dam.

Despite inheriting 76,273 water connections and managing 33,109 groundwater bores, the new wing faces staffing challenges with 930 vacant positions that need urgent filling to ensure improved service delivery. The CDA’s initiative also encompasses a strategic focus on revenue generation and infrastructure development to support the rapidly expanding urban areas and the suburban villages, collectively housing over 1.3 million residents.

As part of this transition, the CDA will assume control over all relevant directorates previously managed by the MCI, including water supply, bulk water management, sewage treatment, and financial operations, thereby consolidating efforts for a comprehensive urban water management strategy.