The Government of Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have extended a grant aid of 510 million Japanese yen to support the installation of smart water meters and related infrastructure for the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) in Faisalabad.
\nThe funding agreement was formalized on Wednesday through the signing of the \u2018Exchange of Notes\u2019 and a Grant Agreement under the \u201cEconomic and Social Development Programme\u201d between Japan and the Government of Pakistan during a ceremony held in the federal capital.
\nFaisalabad, Pakistan\u2019s third-largest city, is grappling with limited water availability, with most residents receiving water for only about six hours a day. A major challenge stems from WASA Faisalabad\u2019s flat-rate billing system, which charges a fixed tariff regardless of actual water consumption. This has encouraged excessive use, reduced efficiency, and limited the agency\u2019s ability to invest in infrastructure upgrades.
\nTo address these issues, the new grant will enable the installation of 8,400 smart water meters, supporting WASA\u2019s transition to a consumption-based billing model. The initiative will improve water conservation, enhance revenue generation, and establish a more efficient billing and distribution system\u2014ultimately contributing to the digital transformation of water supply services in the city.
\nJapan has previously provided technical cooperation and other forms of assistance to support WASA Faisalabad\u2019s shift toward sustainable water management practices. This latest initiative further strengthens those efforts and aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), which advocates for universal access to safe and sustainable water and sanitation.
\nSpeaking at the signing ceremony, Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan, AKAMATSU Shuichi expressed hope that the aid would significantly improve water services in Faisalabad. \u201cWe hope the water supply services in Faisalabad will further improve through this grant aid, and ultimately contribute to better public health and living standards,\u201d he said. \u201cJapan remains committed to supporting Pakistan in the water sector.\u201d
\nNaoaki Miyata, Chief Representative of the JICA Pakistan Office, added, \u201cWe hope that the smart water meters will accelerate the digital transformation of the water supply system and bring tangible improvements to water services in Faisalabad.\u201d
\nThe programme is expected to benefit thousands of households, enhance public health, and promote more efficient and sustainable water resource management in one of Pakistan\u2019s most populous urban centers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Government of Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have extended a grant aid of 510 million Japanese yen to support the installation of smart water meters and related infrastructure for the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) in Faisalabad. The funding agreement was formalized on Wednesday through the signing of the \u2018Exchange of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":478257,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-478248","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n