United States Helps CDA Save Electricity, Improve Water Supply in Islamabad

Contact: Mark Stroh,
Spokesperson (0308-555-0591)
93/2012

USAID will fund replacement of 187 CDA water pumps with more efficient models, to save approximately two megawatts of electricity and improve water supply

The United States government has joined the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to replace nearly 200 outdated electrical pumps in order to improve water supply for Islamabad, reduce energy consumption, and decrease electricity bills for CDA.  This initiative was launched today by Jonathan M. Conly, Country Director for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and CDA Chairman Farkhand Iqbal at the Fatima Jinnah Park, where the first pump was replaced in front of the media and government officials.

USAID Country Director Jonathan M. Conly said, “I would like to thank CDA for being a pioneer in promoting energy efficiency in the public sector.  We hope that this initiative will inspire other municipalities across the country to join our efforts, in partnership with distribution companies and the Ministry of Water and Power, and reduce the energy consumption through more energy-efficient technologies, which shrinks the gap between the energy demand and supply.

CDA has 187 tubewell pumps throughout Islamabad, only 132 of which work.  These pumps operate with less than 30 percent efficiency, resulting in increasingly large electricity bills for CDA.  In addition, these pumps fail to provide adequate water for Islamabad residents.  Many residential areas have no potable water for weeks at a time.  The replacement of the CDA pumps will save approximately two megawatts of electricity.  This amount is sufficient to power to 4,500 households.  The new pumps will also ensure improved water supply for the city and reduce electricity bills for CDA.

The replacement of municipal water pumps is a new USAID energy efficiency initiative that builds on USAID energy efficiency efforts in the agriculture sector.  Over the past two years, USAID, in cooperation with the Ministry of Water and Power, has helped more than 2,600 farmers replace their pumps, saving more than 18 megawatts for the national grid and significantly reducing farmers’ electricity bills.  To ensure that farmers are getting energy-efficient pumps, USAID certified several local tubewell pump producers for compliance with the international energy efficiency standard ISO 9906.

This energy efficiency effort is yet another example of the U.S. government’s long-term commitment to support Pakistan’s energy sector priorities.  U.S. assistance focuses on supporting the Government of Pakistan in its efforts to increase the availability of energy and promote reforms to help the power sector function more efficiently.