How to Apply for a CDA Water Connection in Islamabad: Form A-3 and Rates

Short answer: To get a CDA water connection in Islamabad, submit Form A-3 at the One Window Operation counter in Block-III, CDA Secretariat, with a pay order, your attested plan approval letter, allotment letter and CNIC. CDA lists residential water rates from Rs 3,164 for plots up to 249 square yards.

A house that is built but dry is a common problem in new Islamabad sectors. The wall is up, the family is ready, and the pipe is missing. The connection does not come from one counter. Several CDA offices must each clear your file first.

We read CDA's procedures page and its frequently asked questions page on 13 October 2026. Both pages are undated. The numbers below are exactly as CDA lists them, so confirm the current figure at the counter before you pay.

The application starts with Form A-3 and four documents

CDA lists four items for a water connection: Form A-3, a pay order for the amount set by plot size, attested copies of the plan approval letter and the allotment letter, and an attested CNIC photocopy. You hand them in at One Window Operation.

The plan approval letter matters. CDA will not connect water to a building it has not approved. If you do not have that letter yet, start with the building plan approval steps in Islamabad. Form A-3 itself is on CDA's forms page, and CDA's FAQ says to attach its enclosures.

1. Download Form A-3 and fill it in as allottee or attorney.
2. Get attested copies of your plan approval letter, allotment letter and CNIC.
3. Buy a pay order from a bank in favour of CDA for the amount your plot size needs.
4. Submit everything at the One Window Operation counter and keep the receipt.

CDA checks seven things before it lays the pipe

After you apply, your file moves through separate CDA offices. The FAQ lists the order: ownership check, dues clearance, construction charges, pipeline confirmation, road cutting charges, sewerage fee, and then the Water Meter Division. Each step can hold up the next one.

Our advice is simple. Clear your dues before you apply. A plot with unpaid dues stops at step two, and you lose weeks. The page on checking CDA plot dues shows how to find out what you owe.

CDA lists residential water rates by plot size

CDA's procedures page lists residential water rates in seven size bands. The smallest band, up to 249 square yards, is Rs 3,164. The largest, 2,000 square yards and above, is Rs 31,636. Commercial property pays Rs 3 per square foot of total covered area.

One thing we could not confirm. The page calls these billing rates and does not say if the figure is per month, per year or a one time charge. Ask the counter which one applies to you before you buy the pay order. The road cutting and sewerage fees are separate and CDA does not publish their amounts on these pages.

The water supply agreement comes before the physical connection

CDA signs a formal water supply agreement with the property owner before it connects anything. It then issues the fittings, gives you a ledger number, makes the connection and sends the agreement to the Revenue Directorate, which starts your bills.

For the agreement you need the agreement form, Form A-3 with its enclosures, and copies of your CNIC, allotment letter, possession letter, approval plan and the sewerage, road cut and water connection fee receipts. CDA also lists the materials it issues: a clamp, a bend tee, pipe and a gate valve, each endorsed in stock.

Keep every receipt. If the bill later shows the wrong plot size, the receipts and the ledger number are your proof. When the first bill arrives, you can pay it on the PAK app, as described in the page on paying CDA property tax and water bills online.

A lost or missing bill can be reprinted online

If you already have a connection and lost the bill, CDA's website offers a duplicate water bill. You type your water consumer number, solve a short sum to prove you are not a robot, and submit the form. CDA does not list a fee for this.

The service sits on cda.gov.pk under e-services. We opened the page and confirmed the form fields. We did not submit a real consumer number, so we cannot say how fast the bill appears or what format it comes in.

If your bill looks wrong, or the water never arrives, write to the CDA public grievance cell. The contact details are on CDA's contact page.

Common questions

Which form do I need for a CDA water connection?

You need Form A-3, filled in by the allottee or attorney. Attach the enclosures CDA's FAQ lists, and submit it at the One Window Operation counter.

How much does a CDA water connection cost?

CDA lists residential rates from Rs 3,164 for plots up to 249 square yards to Rs 31,636 for 2,000 square yards and above. Road cutting and sewerage fees are extra, and CDA does not publish them.

What is the commercial water rate?

CDA lists Rs 3 per square foot of the total covered area for commercial property.

Can I get water before my building plan is approved?

CDA requires the plan approval letter with the application, so you should get the plan approved first.

Where do I submit the application?

Submit it at the One Window Operation counter, Block-III, CDA Secretariat, Sector G-7/4, Islamabad.

Can I print a duplicate water bill online?

Yes. Enter your water consumer number on CDA's duplicate water bill page, solve the check and submit.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 13 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read the CDA procedures page, the frequently asked questions page and the duplicate water bill form. CDA does not date these pages and does not say whether the rates are monthly or annual. We did not call CDA, and we did not apply for a connection.