Bulk line faults perpetuate water crisis

The failure of KWSC to repair pipelines has worsened the shortage of water plaguing the city

KARACHI:

With the arrival of 2025, the deplorable state of Karachi's water supply system has come to the fore as three consecutive incidents of damage to the bulk water lines have perpetuated a shortage of water across most areas of the city.

Mohsin Raza, General Secretary of the People's Labour Union of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC), leveled serious allegations against the KWSC. "This issue has been ongoing for several years, but KWSC has not replaced the old pipelines. Despite the World Bank providing a loan of 1.6 billion US dollars for the restructuring of KWSC, the old pipelines have not been replaced. The relief of the public should have been a priority," said Raza.

In December last year, an 84-inch water pipeline was damaged due to development work on the Red Line Bus Rapid Transit System on University Road. However, KWSC shut down the water supply from Dhabeji Pumping Station for 17 days for the repair of the pipeline.

Later, in January this year, a 72-inch pipeline burst due to an electricity breakdown at Dhabeji Pumping Station, affecting the city's water supply for two days. In the next month, the water supply to most areas of the city was shut down for another four days due to repair work on three bulk lines near Purani Sabzi Mandi. Similarly, on March 10, all pumps at the Hub Pumping Station were shut down due to an electricity breakdown, affecting the water supply in District West and District Kemari for almost a day.

"The Chief Minister should investigate why so many faults are occurring in the bulk water system. Under the supervision of KWSC, hydrants are making 40,000 to 50,000 trips daily, supplying 30 to 40 million gallons of water. In this scenario, dozens of illegal hydrants are operating in the city, stealing water from the Water Corporation's lines and selling it. Both the legal and illegal hydrants are looting citizens through the tanker mafia," claimed Raza.

A KWSC officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, revealed that bulk water lines burst at various times throughout the year since some of them were 60 to 70 years old and had become extremely corroded.

"Electricity breakdowns and water backpressure cause the old lines to burst. These lines should have been replaced years ago. The 72-inch bulk water line from Dhabeji is also corroded and often bursts. Other bulk water lines have exceeded their lifespan however, residential houses and illegal structures have been built on top of them. Before replacing these lines, KWSC will need to remove these encroachments," noted the official.

Riaz Azhar, Chairman of the Hassan Square Union Council in Gulshan Town called out KWSC for not replacing the old lines. "Every year, bulk water lines burst, and KWSC fails to replace them. This raises questions about the corporation's intentions. Last year, during the water crisis in December, the tanker mafia made billions of rupees. This year, three similar incidents have occurred, perpetuating water shortages and strengthening the tanker mafia," implored Azhar.

Regional Planner Dr Syed Nawaz Al-Huda criticized the KWSC's higher officials for not rectifying the bulk water supply system. "An inquiry should be carried out on the performance of these officials. Every month, some pipe bursts causing water shortages in most areas of the city and forcing citizens to buy expensive tankers. The bulk water supply system should be strengthened to prevent such incidents," he emphasized.

Commenting on the matter, a KWSC spokesperson stated that Karachi received 650 million gallons of water daily from the Indus River and Hub Dam, but the city's demand was 1,200 million gallons, resulting in a daily shortfall of 550 million gallons. "The World Bank and the Sindh government are jointly replacing the 72-inch line at the Dhabeji Pumping Station. This is expected to be completed within the next four months," said the official.