LAHORE: The Information Technology University (ITU) is all set to develop smart solutions pertaining to water related projects for the Water & Sanitation Agency (WASA), Lahore Development Authority and Housing Urban Development & Public Health Engineering Department, through research based innovative application of technology. In this connection, a Memorandum of Understanding was inked between WASA and ITU officials on Monday. ITU would provide facilities including technical assistance, guidance and training to WASA’s employees regarding various technologies best practices for the enhancement of the performance. Dr Umar Saif said that ITU would develop innovative system for WASA to digitally monitor in real time the rain and water ponding tracks by installing a low cost in-house developed devise at 25 different locations of Lahore and is aimed to be deployed in the upcoming monsoon season. He said that the installations of sensors at tube wells and disposal stations would will make them intelligent, effective and economically efficient by reducing electricity charges of up to twenty percent per annum. He further stated that WASA will be a new sector that would benefit from ITU, as ITU is already contributing in other public sector departments such as improvement of vaccination system and crops by using satellite imagery. WASA and ITU shall cooperate and collaborate for the research and development activities with a prime focus on design and development of hardware and software units, he said. WASA Managing Director Syed Zahid Aziz said that ITU’s technological interventions for online ponding areas would ensure effectiveness and establish credibility that would modernise WASA. He said that we were already having coordination in 21 different sectors with the Punjab Information Technology Board, where Citizen Complaint Centre is helping WASA to improve its functioning and rectifying the problems reported by the public, he added. Areas/disciplines of mutual interest and collaboration include development of smart cones for monitoring of ponding areas, development of digital rain gauges, monitoring of water level in disposal wells, automation of tube wells, disposals, generators and other resources, technical resource development and collaboration in any other potential area which is mutually agreed upon. Similarly, the areas of cooperation and scope of work include cooperation in research and development activities, participation in seminars, exchange of academic materials and other information and special training programme. Published in Daily Times, June 5th 2018.