ISLAMABAD:Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry informed the National Assembly on Tuesday that two new dams would be completed within four years to help address Islamabad’s growing water shortage.Responding to a calling-attention notice on water scarcity and the need for water purification and recycling plants in Islamabad Capital Territory, he said the capital needed 240 million gallons of water a day. However, only 80 million gallons were currently available.He said feasibility studies for the Shahdara and Dothara dams were being conducted through the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda).The minister said the two projects would be completed within three to four years. They would meet Islamabad’s water needs for the next 30 to 40 years, he added.The minister said the government had amended laws to promote rainwater harvesting. Rainwater wells were also being built, while building plans would not be approved without provisions for rainwater harvesting.He said old water pipelines in Islamabad’s sectors would be replaced within one and a half years. A PC-I for the project had already been prepared, he added.The minister also expressed concern over the poor recovery of water bills. He said even residents of affluent sectors such as F-6 did not pay their monthly bill of Rs240.He said the overall water-bill recovery rate stood at only 10 per cent.He urged lawmakers to cooperate with the authorities to improve bill recovery and ensure timely payments. He also called for water conservation and said water was wasted through practices such as washing vehicles at home.He said rainwater harvesting had now been included in the standard operating procedures for approving new schemes.The minister said Islamabad had been allowed to expand in an unplanned manner. He added that most areas along Lehtrar Road consisted of illegal settlements.Their sewage was contaminating water sources, he said.He said a sewage treatment plant costing between Rs30 billion and Rs40bn was being installed in the area. Another sewage treatment plant was also being established in I-9.