Water shortage sparks protest as residents storm Karachi pumping station

The patience of North Karachi residents ran out after a persistent water shortage on Sunday morning, as they stormed the Nagan Chowrangi pumping station in protest.

A large number of women were part of the demonstration, during which protesters exchanged harsh words with Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) staff. Some enraged residents allegedly attempted to manhandle the staff as tempers flared.

Protesters said that despite repeated assurances, the KWSC had failed to restore water supply to their homes for more than a month. Many women complained that purchasing water tankers had become unaffordable and unsustainable for households already under financial strain. Chanting “Pani do, pani do” (give us water), the crowd demanded immediate restoration of supplies.

Police from the Taimuria station arrived at the scene after receiving reports of the unrest and held negotiations with the demonstrators. The protest was called off after successful talks, and the crowd dispersed peacefully.

Drawing fault lines

The water and power utilities are blaming each other for the water supply disruptions in the city. Following the K-Electric spokesperson’s statement that power supply at water pumping stations is normal, the KWSC spokesperson blamed electricity outages for pipeline bursts and supply cuts. However, the K-Electric spokesperson put the onus on leaking pipes that drip water on power cables, causing short circuits and power outages at pumping stations.

The Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) reported that prolonged power outages at major pumping stations led to a shortfall of 884 million gallons of water across the city during November 2025.

According to a KWSC spokesperson, repeated electricity breakdowns caused by K-Electric severely disrupted pumping operations throughout the month. The Dhabeji pumping station was the worst affected, suffering 132 hours and 20 minutes of power suspension, which resulted in a shortfall of 424 million gallons.

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Similarly, 146 hours of outages at the Dumlottee station led to a loss of 111 million gallons, while the North East Karachi station recorded a shortfall of 335 million gallons. The Hub and Pipri stations each reported a deficiency of 6 million gallons, and the Gharo station faced a shortfall of 2 million gallons.

Officials said continuous power cuts brought operations at central pumping stations to a standstill for several hours, affecting water supply across Karachi. They urged K-Electric to ensure a stable and uninterrupted power supply to key pumping stations, warning that repeated cable faults were damaging critical pumping machinery.

They stressed the need for alternative feeders, standby cables, and urgent technical upgrades to safeguard the city’s water supply system from future disruptions.

The spokesperson added that KWSC is maintaining close coordination with K-Electric to ensure steady supply, and that water distribution across the city returned to normal once power was restored. He said all possible measures were being taken to further improve the system and ensure uninterrupted water supply to residents.

K-Electric tells KWSC to fix leaking pipes

The K-Electric spokesperson stated that electricity supply remains stable at all water pumping stations, but leakage from pipelines hampers repair work. He said that electric cable repairs cannot be carried out in standing water due to safety risks for staff. Water seeping from KWSC pipelines submerges underground power cables, damaging the infrastructure that delivers electricity to these stations.

The spokesperson noted that the persistent leakage had been officially reported to the authorities on November 10, following an earlier notification in June. Fixing electricity cables in accumulated water is extremely challenging and time-consuming. He further explained that stagnant water leads to additional complications, such as the growth of bushes, which obstruct testing and fault correction.

Meanwhile, as the water and power utilities trade blame, residents of the metropolis continue to endure water supply disruptions.