The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Faisalabad has signed an agreement with Denmark-based company Munck to construct a 33-million gallons daily (MGD) wastewater treatment plant aimed at reducing pollution and reusing treated water for agriculture.
The signing ceremony was presided over by WASA Managing Director Sohail Qadir Cheema and attended by Peter Emil Nielsen, Head of the Embassy of Denmark in Pakistan and Yasir Mubeen, Senior Chief of Urban Development at the Punjab Planning and Development Board.
The agreement was signed by Project Director Kamran Raza on behalf of WASA Faisalabad and Rasmus Schmidt-Petersen representing Munck. Speaking on the occasion, WASA MD Sohail Qadir Cheema said Faisalabad’s sewage has long been discharged untreated into the Ravi and Chenab rivers, creating severe environmental and health hazards.
He said the new plant will reduce pollution and make treated wastewater usable for irrigation.
He noted that this is the only large-scale wastewater treatment project of its kind in Punjab and thanked the governments of Pakistan and Denmark for their support, expressing hope for more collaborations in the future.
Nielsen said Denmark is committed to supporting Pakistan in addressing environmental challenges.
He expressed excitement over the project, saying it will not only help combat pollution but also directly benefit the people of Faisalabad.
Yasir Mubeen of the P&D Board called the project vital for the province and said the Punjab government, under the Chief Minister’s vision, is working to upgrade sewerage and water supply systems across all cities.
He added that billions of rupees have been allocated for sanitation and safe drinking water facilities, which will significantly reduce public health problems.
Project Director Kamran Raza described the wastewater treatment plant as a revolutionary step for Faisalabad and confirmed that consultants and contractors have already been mobilised.
He said the project is expected to be completed by 2028. The ceremony concluded with presentations by the consulting and contracting firms, followed by the exchange of souvenirs featuring Faisalabad’s historic Clock Tower.
