Daily Times

KARACHI: The main 72 inches water trunk of has been under repair by the water board engineers for the last4 days that was burst at Dhabeji Water Pumping Station.

It is feared that several parts of Karachi would remain without water during the Eid ul Fitr holidays.

The officials of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) were of the view that a day or two would be required for the completion of repair work on the damaged main water conduit.

KWSB was trying its best to streamline regular supply of water to the citizens of Karachi during the summer.

On the other hand water hydrants of NIPA Chowrangi and Landhi have stopped water supply through water tankers due to stoppage of water supply.

The responsibilities of Zafar Palejo, Superintending Engineer Water Trunk Main have been taken back on his poor performance and handed over to Owais Malik Superintending Engineer West Zone.

The hydrant in charge Tabisjh Raza has been replaced from his position on poor performance and in his place Nisar Magsi has been deployed.

Four hydrants in Sakhi Hasan, Safoora Goth, Korangi and Manghopir have been working under heavy workload due to shortage of water and the increased demand of water tankers in the city.

Illegal water tanker service at Manghopir, SITE, Sher Shah, Pak Colony, Northern by-pass, National Highway and other parts of city kept supplying water to people at higher rates.

People have been braving long periods of water crisis on eight occasions during Ramadan due to the cut off in power supply to water pumping stations.

The Ramadan water contingency plan of KWSB has also collapsed due to poor planning and non efficiency of the staff.

Under the Ramadan plan 1,700 water tankers would have been supplying water under the supervision of deputy commissioners but this plan has also been failed due to poor response of the respective offices.

Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah had also directed Managing Director Managing Director KWSB) for preparing a water contingency plan by first week of April 2017.

The water level has decreased gradually at Dhabeji Pumping Station, thus resulting less water supply into the water conduit system.

Moreover, frequent power fluctuations and disruption at the Dhabeji Pumping Station and around 50 percent less supply of water from Hub Dam (from 100 million gallon per day (mgd) to 51 mgd can be attributed to the shortage of water supply in Karachi.

There would be an anticipated shortfall of 600 MGD (2700 ml/day) of water. Due to pilferage of water conduits besides on account of non-revenue water consumption, water supply through KWSB system has been facing around 35 percent water loss on a daily basis.

The projected population of Karachi is 23 million and it is estimated per capita consumption of water stands at 54 gallons per day. The demand of water daily stands around 1,242 million gallon per day (MGD).

The present supply to Karachi from Indus and Hub sources is approximately 650 MGD (2925 ml/day).

Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and Clifton areas have also been facing a water shortage since long.

Published in Daily Times, June 25th, 2017.