Islamabad is on the brink of a severe water crisis as the Capital Development Authority (CDA) grapples with alarming shortages and widespread breakdowns in its water supply system. According to sources, the CDA’s Water Supply Directorate has only one month’s worth of chlorine stock left, raising urgent concerns that water supply across the capital could come to a halt within weeks.
The crisis has deepened due to the CDA’s failure to settle payments from a chlorine supply tender issued in June last year. With outstanding dues, contractors have refused to continue chlorinating the water, putting public health at serious risk due to the possibility of untreated water being supplied to households.
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The city’s water infrastructure is already in a dire state. Out of 300 tube wells operated by the CDA, only 95 are functioning, with the majority either broken down or beyond repair. Compounding the issue, the CDA has defaulted on over Rs. 100 million in payments for tube well maintenance.
The situation is equally grim for water tankers. Of the 32 tankers in the CDA fleet, only 7 are operational—2 of which are reserved exclusively for VIP use. Despite receiving close to 1,000 complaints daily, the CDA has failed to address the mounting demand, largely due to unpaid dues exceeding Rs. 50 million for past tanker repairs.
Residents in numerous sectors—including I-8 through I-14, F-6 to F-10, G-6 to G-11, Model Village, Margalla Town, Humak Town, and Rawal Town—are already facing severe water shortages. In many of these areas, water is now supplied only once every three days.
The ongoing crisis is fueled by financial mismanagement, a collapsing infrastructure, and lapses in contract renewals. Without immediate intervention, a full-scale disruption of Islamabad’s water supply appears imminent.
