The city residents anticipate a diminished supply of water in the hot months. Unfortunately, the alarm bell has sounded louder this year, as repair of water supply and sewerage lines in the city has come to a halt for more than a fortnight because of reported delay in clearing the dues of contractors undertaking the repair work. The stalling of the repair work is feared to aggravate the water shortage in the city this summer, as a third of its water supply is estimated to be lost due to pipeline leakages and pilferage.
The water shortage issue is attributable to both natural causes and bad governance. The present problem is said to have been caused by official lethargy. According to media reports, contractors are holding protests on a daily basis outside the offices of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to press for payment of their dues. With contractors having refused to resume the repair work until they are paid their dues, complaints about water supply problems are mounting at the KWSB. Now that the official, who contractors blame for delaying their payments, has been transferred it is hoped that the contractors will restart the repair works and help people receive a sufficient quantity of water during Ramazan and Eid days.
During summer, water and power shortages in most parts of Sindh, especially in Karachi, become unbearable. This year electricity supply has somewhat improved, but water shortage has worsened than in the past many years. Some circles claim that Karachi is being supplied 550mgd water daily against its need for 1,200 mgd. It is said that around half of the 550mgd water is either stolen or lost due to leakages in the supply lines.
Water is not available in home taps of most citizens, but plenty of it is available in the ‘black market’ through water sellers who sell it at hefty prices in cans and tankers. Sometimes sellers disappear for days together when their promoters and protectors ask them to raise their cuts. For years, this has been the situation in many localities of the capital city of Sindh province. Those with low income use undrinkable underground water for other purposes, but they have to buy drinking water in the ‘black market’ irrespective of the cost. This is unaffordable for the poor, and they drink the brackish underground water, which causes many diseases. Every summer the hapless people thirst for a few drops of water.The bulk of the water to Karachi is supplied from the River Indus, Haleji Lake and Hub dam. The last mentioned source depends on rain. In recent years, water supply from the Indus River is said to have reduced due to effects of climate change. Luckily the city has received adequate rainfall over the past several years.
Water is not available in home taps of most citizens, but plenty of it is available in the ‘black market’ through water sellers who sell it at hefty prices in cans and tankers. Sometimes sellers disappear for days together when their promoters and protectors ask them to raise their cuts.
