Karachi: In a significant step towards addressing Karachi’s growing water shortage, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved a multibillion-rupee seawater desalination plant aimed at providing clean drinking water to the city’s residents. The project, which will benefit the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), is set to be procured under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
The approval was granted during the 46th meeting of the PPP Policy Board, chaired by CM Shah at the CM House. During the meeting, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) outlined plans to begin the desalination project, which had already received initial approval in a previous board meeting.
Under the design-build-finance-operate-transfer (DBFOT) model, the private partner will finance the plant’s construction in exchange for payments based on its availability and output. One of the key features of the project is the flexibility for the private partner to establish a facility with a higher capacity of up to 46 million gallons per day (MGD). This surplus capacity will be used for the production of bottled water, a move designed to reduce overall tariffs and enhance the project’s financial viability.
A Kuwait-based company has expressed interest in setting up the desalination plant, and DHA authorities have shown willingness to purchase the desalinated water, further strengthening the project’s potential for success.
CM Shah has directed the local government department, the water utility, and the PPP unit to finalize the requirements and move forward with initiating the project as soon as possible.
This initiative marks a major milestone in efforts to resolve Karachi’s water crisis by introducing an alternative and sustainable source of potable water, benefiting both DHA residents and the wider city population.
Samra Zulfiqar, a real estate analyst at Zameen.com, is passionate about finding projects that offer buyers the best returns. Her keen insights spotlight the market’s most promising opportunities.
