RAWALPINDI, 23 August 2026 (Ghufran): The Punjab government has approved a major project to provide clean and safe drinking water to residents of Rawalpindi through the construction of a surface water treatment plant and a water supply system at Dadocha Dam. The project, once completed, will add 35 million gallons of water per day to the supply system for Rawalpindi city and cantonment areas. The project has an estimated cost of Rs36 billion and is scheduled for completion by December 2029. According to the Rawalpindi commissioner, the additional 35 million gallons of treated water from Dadocha Dam will help meet the growing demand for clean drinking water in the city. Following completion of the dam, the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) will undertake work on the transmission line and water supply network. Construction work on Dadocha Dam has reached 92 percent completion and is being carried out under the Punjab Irrigation Department. However, the 28-kilometre transmission line connecting the dam to Rawalpindi, along with the water filtration plant and distribution network for the city and cantonment areas, is scheduled to be completed by December 2029. The Punjab government will bear Rs18 billion of the project cost related to Rawalpindi city. The responsibility for the remaining Rs18 billion allocated for the cantonment area will be decided in a meeting of the Punjab Cabinet, with either the federal or Punjab government expected to bear the cost. The project is expected to significantly improve the availability of clean drinking water for residents of Rawalpindi and its adjoining cantonment areas.