Power fault blamed as half of city goes dry
Another water supply disruption, another ordeal for Karachi's residents - a pattern that has repeated so often that it appears woven into the city's daily reality. The metropolis has once again been hit by a severe water crisis, with 50 to 60 per cent of areas facing suspension of water supply over the weekend, while hydrants reportedly continued to operate without interruption.
An unannounced shutdown by K-Electric at the Dhabeji pumping station on Saturday disrupted water supply to a large part of the metropolis. The situation worsened on Sunday when a power breakdown occurred at the North East Karachi (NEK) pumping station, further affecting water distribution to various localities.
Officials and residents said water supply disruptions have become a recurring feature in the city, even as government-run hydrants continue to function normally.
Karachiites, meanwhile, are increasingly forced to rely on expensive water tankers to meet daily needs amid worsening scarcity.
Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) officials said that on Saturday K-Electric abruptly suspended power supply, affecting water distribution to nearly half of the city. Although electricity was restored after about two hours, another breakdown at the NEK pumping station soon followed, compounding the crisis.
Areas operating under the weekly water rationing system were among the worst affected. Localities scheduled to receive water on Saturday and Sunday reportedly did not receive supply and will now have to wait until the next cycle.
Officials further stated that even a brief interruption in pumping operations at Dhabeji can take 10 to 20 hours for normalisation, causing widespread delays in city-wide distribution.
A KWSC spokesperson said that following restoration of power at Dhabeji, operations resumed through 21 pumps, however full system stabilisation would take time. The breakdown occurred around 3am on May 31 at the NEK pumping station, partially disrupting the city's water supply system.
K-Electric's technical teams were called to the site, where they identified a fault in the main transmission cable supplying electricity to the K-II pumping station.
The fault led to emergency arrangements by the KWSC, including temporary backfeeding from the K-III feeder. Electricity was partially restored around 5am; however, limited capacity meant full pumping operations could not be resumed.
Officials said the city is currently facing a shortfall of 54 million gallons per day (MGD) due to the disruption. They warned that if the fault is not rectified on a permanent basis, further deterioration in water supply and distribution schedules could occur across the city.
The KWSC has urged K-Electric to immediately repair the fault and ensure uninterrupted power supply to pumping stations to prevent further hardship for citizens.
MQM-P protest
water woes
MQM-P strongly criticised the prolonged water supply disruptions, terming the situation "criminal negligence" by the city's water and power utilities.
In a statement issued by the party's central committee, the MQM-P said the power shutdown at Dhabeji and subsequent pipeline bursts caused by back pressure had once again pushed Karachi into a severe water crisis during intense summer heat.
The party said millions of gallons of water supply were suspended due to repeated technical and power failures, resulting in what it described as the collapse of the city's water distribution system.
The MQM-P maintained that frequent power outages at a critical facility like Dhabeji and recurring pipeline faults could no longer be treated as routine technical issues. Rather, it reflected "serious administrative failure and negligence" on the part of K Electric and KWSC.
They alleged that more than 40 million residents of Karachi were being forced to rely on expensive tanker supplies, while accusing the authorities of failing to control what they termed a "tanker mafia" operating amid the crisis.