Punjab in Installing Water Meters in 41 Cities

Punjab has launched a province-wide water meter drive as part of a broader Rs. 5 billion initiative by the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) to improve water management across 41 cities.

Under the project, modern water meters, similar to electricity and gas meters, will be installed in all WASA-controlled cities. Each consumer will receive an individual meter and will be billed monthly based on actual water usage.

The initiative aims to prevent water theft and eliminate illegal connections, ensuring a more transparent and efficient water distribution system.

Senior BS-19 officer Shazil Waqar has been appointed as Project Director for the water meter installation project.

The meter rollout is one of three major projects approved by WASA. The remaining initiatives include the installation of recharge wells to improve groundwater levels and upgrades to drainage and sewerage systems in newly established WASA cities.

The recharge wells project will channel rainwater underground using modern techniques, while open land areas will be preserved to support natural water absorption. The project has already been launched in Lahore, where groundwater levels have dropped beyond 700 feet.

In parallel, new drainage and sewerage systems will be designed and installed in 34 newly established WASA cities under the Punjab Development Programme-II. Work has already begun in 16 cities.

Authorities have also indicated a long-term shift toward surface water sources from dams and rivers to reduce reliance on groundwater.