The Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have signed an agreement for a 36-month technical cooperation project to prepare an integrated water supply, sewerage and drainage master plan for Islamabad, with 2050 set as the target year.
The plan will assess Islamabad’s future water sources, supply network, sewerage and wastewater systems, stormwater drainage and flood risks, while also examining digital tools, climate resilience and future investment priorities. The project is tentatively scheduled to begin in March 2027.
That is more precise than saying the deal will “secure Islamabad’s water future.” The 2050 target refers to the planning horizon, while the 36 months refers to the technical cooperation project, not the period for completing infrastructure. The project will principally cover ICT Zones 1–5, with detailed facility planning for Zone 1 and strategic assessment of Zones 2–5.
CDA Chairman and Chief Commissioner Islamabad Sohail Ashraf signed the MoU on behalf of the CDA, while MIYAGAWA Masahito, Team Leader of the JICA Detailed Planning Survey Team, signed for JICA at a ceremony held at CDA Headquarters.
The ceremony was attended by Sardar Khan Zimri, Director General Islamabad Water, Fakhryia Anjum, Joint Secretary (Japan) at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and other senior officials.
The agreement follows a detailed planning survey conducted by JICA from August 24 to September 14, during which consultations were held with CDA, Islamabad Water and other relevant organizations to finalize the framework, scope and implementation arrangements.
Water sources to be assessed
A key part of the master plan will be an assessment of Islamabad’s existing and potential water resources, including surface water and groundwater.
The study will review previous water resource development reports and proposals, including those related to Tarbela, Chinot, Shahdara, Dotara and Chirah dams, as well as relevant options identified in earlier JICA studies.
Potential water sources will be compared based on factors including available water, quality, reliability, climate risks, environmental and social considerations, indicative costs and implementation requirements.
The plan will also examine water demand forecasting, water abstraction, conveyance, treatment, transmission, distribution and storage.
Water quality, operation and maintenance, asset management and measures to reduce non-revenue water will also be assessed.
The project will review institutional, financial and operational arrangements and help establish a phased strategy for future investment in water services.
Sewerage and wastewater management
The master plan will cover sewerage and sanitation requirements in both sewered and non-sewered areas of the Islamabad Capital Territory.
The assessment will examine sewer networks, wastewater collection and treatment facilities, decentralized treatment systems, on-site sanitation, fecal-sludge management and the quality of receiving water bodies.
It will also examine the respective responsibilities of CDA, Islamabad Water, private developers and other relevant organizations.
Minimum planning and service requirements for private developments will be reviewed as part of efforts to better coordinate infrastructure with future urban growth.
The study is expected to identify priority measures for improving sanitation services, reducing environmental pollution and strengthening operation and maintenance.
Drainage and urban flood risks
Stormwater drainage will be another major part of the project. The assessment will cover Islamabad’s natural streams, drains, stormwater networks, flood-risk areas and locations affected by localized flooding.
The master plan will identify priority interventions and investment requirements for improving drainage infrastructure, maintenance and operational efficiency.
It will also examine stormwater management in developing areas and measures to reduce risks associated with extreme rainfall and urban flooding.
Digital tools for Islamabad Water
The project will explore the use of digital systems to improve the efficiency and financial and service performance of Islamabad Water.
Potential measures include smart metering, meter reading, billing and collection, customer management, asset management, distribution monitoring, leakage detection, water-quality monitoring and complaint handling.
The project will first assess Islamabad Water’s existing data, digital systems and institutional capacity before developing a practical digital transformation plan.
The proposed digital solutions will be prioritized based on service needs, cost-effectiveness, interoperability and the ability to operate and maintain them sustainably.
Pilot projects and metered tariffs
The technical cooperation project will also include pilot activities aimed at improving water services and strengthening Islamabad Water’s utility-management capacity.
These could include installing meters and monitoring water supply hours, flow, pressure, water quality and leakage.
The project may also improve customer records and complaint-management systems and assess overall water-service performance.
A phased transition toward a metered tariff system will also be examined. The study will assess the potential benefits, requirements and appropriate timing of such a transition, with affordability, equitable access and the needs of vulnerable groups taken into account.
Other pilot activities, including sewerage-network cleaning and maintenance, may also be explored.
The findings from the pilots will be incorporated into the master plan and Islamabad Water’s future action plans.
Climate change and water security
Climate change adaptation and mitigation will be built into the planning process.
The project will assess risks including drought, extreme rainfall, flooding, groundwater decline and deterioration in water quality.
Potential measures include diversifying water sources, reducing leakage, demand management, treated wastewater reuse, water storage and aquifer recharge.
The plan will also consider climate-resilient infrastructure and nature-based solutions, including watershed management.
Energy efficiency will be considered in water pumping and treatment, alongside gravity-based systems, renewable energy and other measures aimed at reducing environmental impacts.
Sustainable groundwater use, affordability, equitable access, transparency and good governance will also be considered.
CDA, Islamabad Water and JICA to coordinate
A Joint Coordination Committee (JCC), headed by the CDA chairman, will oversee coordination, progress reviews and monitoring of the project.
CDA and Islamabad Water will serve as the implementing agencies, while the project team will include technical counterparts from the two institutions and the JICA Mission Team.
The master plan will be jointly formulated rather than prepared by the JICA team alone. The arrangement is intended to strengthen institutional ownership and build the technical and planning capacity of CDA and Islamabad Water through on-the-job training.
The project is also expected to include approximately three training programs in Japan, each lasting around 14 days and involving about five participants, subject to final project arrangements.
Stakeholder consultations will include the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad, ICT Administration, Ministry of Water Resources, WAPDA, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources, Small Dams Organization, Punjab Irrigation Department, WASA Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi Cantonment Board, Defence Housing Authority and other relevant federal and provincial institutions.
Private developers, communities and other stakeholders will also be consulted.
Future projects and financing
The master plan will identify priority projects based on urgency, expected benefits, technical feasibility, economic and financial viability, environmental and social impacts, climate resilience, indicative costs, financing prospects and implementation capacity.
For each priority project, it will identify the responsible agency, potential financing sources, implementation schedule and any required follow-up studies.
The plan will provide a basis for future project formulation, budgeting, financing, implementation, monitoring and periodic review.
Potential financing could come from Pakistani public resources, bilateral funding, development partners or private-sector financing.
Importantly, the project does not presuppose financing by JICA.
Project expected to start in March 2027
The draft Record of Discussions (R/D) will be refined based on the Minutes of Meetings and consultations with the relevant authorities.
The R/D is tentatively expected to be signed in late November 2026, subject to completion of the required procedures and confirmation of signatories.
The technical cooperation project is tentatively expected to begin in March 2027, when the first JICA Mission Team members begin project activities in Pakistan.
The resulting master plan is intended to give Islamabad a long-term framework for managing water supply, sewerage, sanitation and drainage as the capital develops toward 2050.