In This Post:
– Why Is There a Need for a New Water Scheme in Karachi?
– Details About PKR 6 Billion Water Supply Project in Karachi
– KWSB Schemes to Address Water Shortage Problem
– Updates on K-IV Water Project
The provincial government of Sindh is all set to start a new water supply project in Karachi.
This was announced by the Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah who informed that the new scheme will provide an additional 65 million gallons a day (MGD). This will be made possible after reviving the Kalri Baghar Feeder’s lower canal at a cost of PKR 6 billion. In this blog, we will discuss details about how the new water supply project will help solve Karachi’s water woes.
Let us first understand the water supply system in Karachi.
Why is there a Need for a Water Supply Project in Karachi
Karachi draws most of its water from Keenjhar Lake, which is also a beautiful tourist destination, about 150 km away from the main city. Keenjhar gets its water from the 3,200 km long River Indus.
The approved quota of water for Karachi from Keenjhar Lake is 650 million gallons per day. However, due to dilapidated conditions of the water canals that distribute water, the city only receives around 500 MGD of water from its source. The distribution of water from Keenjhar Lake is as follows:
- 450 MGD to the Dhabeji Pumping Station
- 30 MGD to the Gharo Pumping Station
- 25 MGD to the Pakistan Steel Mills
- 5 MGD to the Port Qasim Authority
The allocated quota for water from Hub Dam to Karachi is 100 MGD water. Last year, due to heavy rainfall, Hub Dam had stored a good amount of water and, as a result, Karachi received its due share of 100 MGD. However, only 70 MGD water reached Karachi as 30% of the water was wasted due to the dilapidated condition of the Hub Canal.
Sadly, this means that not all of the water reaches the residents of the city. As per Al Jazeera’s news report, around 42% of water is either lost or stolen. The ‘tanker mafia’ steals water from the main source and charges the end consumer an exorbitant price against a public utility that they deserve to get for free. Some of the water is also lost because of a lack of proper infrastructure and upgraded pumping machines that have affected the distribution and supply of water to the residents.
Moreover, the 500-550 million gallons of water is not sufficient to meet the demands of a megacity like Karachi, which has a population of more than 16 million people. According to United Nations standards, a metropolitan city like Karachi should have around 1,100 MGD of water.
But even if the 500-550 million gallons of water that Karachi receives are distributed to residents, it might help tackle the deepening water crisis in Karachi. According to a report published in October 2019 in a local English daily, residents pay PKR 4000 per month to water tankers to get clean water supply in Karachi.
All About the PKR 6 Billion Water Supply Project in Karachi
To address the problem of water shortage in Karachi and to increase water supply in the city, the government of Sindh has announced a new scheme that will provide an additional 65 million gallons of water per day.
The project includes:
- The rehabilitation of the Haleji Lake
- The construction of a canal and conduit from the Haleji Lake to the Gharo Pumping Station
- A new 65 MGD pumping house will be installed at Gharo
- A 72-inch diameter pipe will carry the water from Gharo to the high point
- From the high point, a transmission line will provide the 65 MGD water to the Pipri Filer Plant
It is expected that once the new water supply project in Karachi is completed, it will provide a clean supply of water to around 1.2 million people.
Development Schemes of KWSB to Address Water Shortage Problem in Karachi
Among other development schemes to provide a clean supply of water to Karachiites, the pumping station at Dhabeji has been upgraded. The old pumping station was commissioned in 1959 and, for the past 60 years, it has been pumping water. But its efficiency to supply water suffered over the years.
For the new pumping station at Dhabeji, the government of Sindh has imported motors and other machinery from Germany. There are four pumping machines, each having a capacity of 25 MGD, which will bring the total to 100 MGD.
Updates on The Greater Karachi Water Supply Project – K-IV
There is pressure on the Sindh government to complete the K-IV water project in Karachi, which is also known as the Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply Scheme. The project started 18 years ago in 2002 and has cost around PKR 14 billion up till now but it hasn’t been completed even in 2020.
For those unaware, the Karachi Bulk Water Supply Project K4 is a 121-km canal from Keenjhar Lake that’s expected to serve Karachi’s water needs for the next 50 years. It’s expected to provide 1200 cusec (250 MGD) of water, according to the Frontier Works Organization.
As per the latest updates on the K-IV water project, NESPAK, an independent engineering company has identified some serious design flaws in the project. Meanwhile, a Chinese company, Gezhouba Group has also shown interest in completing the K-IV water project. The Chinese company has offered design and construction support in a letter sent to the CM’s secretariat.
This concludes our piece on how Karachi is grappling with the issue of water shortage. If you are a conscientious citizen of Karachi, then you should take a look at ways to conserve water at home and do your bit in addressing water scarcity in the metropolis. If you want to share your feedback with us, then don’t forget to write to blog@zameen.com and we will get back to you. For more updates, stay tuned to the best lifestyle blog in Pakistan. Subscribe to Zameen Newsletter appearing on the right-hand side of the page.
