Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will install water meters, SCADA systems and new pipelines in Peshawar, Kohat, Abbottabad and Mingora to curb water losses and protect groundwater.
New water metering plan for urban Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
The Local Government, Elections and Rural Development Department in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has approved a major upgrade of urban water systems under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cities Improvement Project. As part of the initiative, water flow meters will be installed in key locations across four major cities to monitor usage more accurately and promote water conservation.
The first phase of the project focuses on Peshawar, Kohat, Abbottabad and Mingora, where rapid population growth and climate change are putting intense pressure on existing water resources. By measuring how much water is actually being supplied and consumed, authorities hope to reduce wastage, improve planning and make the system more financially sustainable for local utilities.
SCADA systems and pipeline replacement to cut losses
Alongside water metering, the department is introducing SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems on tube wells in the target cities. SCADA technology allows operators to remotely monitor and control pumps, motors and other equipment in real time. This helps detect faults earlier, prevent over-pumping and optimise electricity use, which is one of the biggest costs for water utilities.
Officials have also announced a large-scale replacement of old, rusted and leaking water pipelines. Many of these pipes have been in the ground for decades and are responsible for significant losses due to cracks, corrosion and illegal connections. Replacing them with modern materials can sharply reduce leakages, improve water quality and stabilise supply, especially during peak summer months when demand is highest.
Taken together, meters, SCADA systems and new pipelines are expected to reduce non-revenue water – the gap between water produced and water actually billed. Lower physical losses and better control over operations should also cut energy and maintenance costs for the utilities that manage urban supply.
Groundwater under stress in Peshawar, Kohat, Abbottabad and Mingora
Officials have warned that groundwater levels in all four project cities are under severe stress. Data from local Water and Sanitation Services Companies shows a steady decline in aquifers over recent years, partly due to rising demand and partly due to changing rainfall patterns linked to climate impacts.
In many neighbourhoods, water demand already exceeds the available supply from public networks. As a result, residents are increasingly relying on private borewells and commercial water tankers to meet their daily needs. This unregulated extraction puts even more pressure on underground aquifers and can cause long-term damage to the resource base.
Authorities have cautioned that if current trends continue, water tables could fall below their natural recharge capacity. In some areas, tube wells have already started to dry up or produce lower volumes, forcing utilities to drill deeper wells or rotate supply, which further increases costs and operational challenges.
Why water meters matter for conservation and fair billing
Installing water flow meters is a key tool for managing scarce water resources more responsibly. Meters allow utilities to identify areas with unusually high consumption or leakage, making it easier to target repairs and enforcement. Over time, this can reduce non-revenue water and improve the financial health of water providers, giving them more capacity to invest in service improvements.
From a consumer perspective, metered supply can also promote fairer billing. Instead of flat charges or rough estimates, households and businesses can be billed according to actual usage. This often encourages people to fix leaks inside their homes, turn off taps properly and think twice about unnecessary water wastage, because overuse shows up directly in their monthly bill.
For cities like Peshawar, Kohat, Abbottabad and Mingora, where both demand and stress on groundwater are rising, the shift towards measured, better-managed supply is an important step. If implemented properly, the combination of metering, modern control systems and pipeline upgrades could help protect aquifers, stabilise urban water service and support long-term climate resilience for millions of residents.
