Karachi to face two day water shortage

KARACHI: Karachi is set to experience a 250 million gallons per day (MGD) water shortfall for 48 hours from Saturday as the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) begins work to connect a newly built line to the existing network at the Dhabeji Pumping Station.

According to a KWSC spokesperson, the final interconnection work on the new transmission line No. 5 will start on Saturday evening and is expected to be completed within 48 hours. The shutdown has been scheduled from 12 noon on April 25 to April 27 as part of the KWSC Improvement Programme (KWSSIP), which the utility says is aimed at upgrading the city’s ageing water supply system.

The spokesperson said water supply from the Fourth Phase, K-II and K-III systems would remain suspended during the interconnection process. He added that some localities would face a complete disruption in supply, while others would see temporary shortages.

Areas expected to face a total suspension of water supply include North Karachi, Surjani Town, Scheme 33 and Gulistan-i-Jauhar. In addition, parts of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Saddar and Chanesar Town are also likely to experience temporary shortages during the maintenance period.

The KWSC spokesperson said the work is intended to improve transmission efficiency and help stabilise pressure across the wider system after completion.

Pumps to be taken offline

To link the newly constructed Central Line No. 5 with the existing network, nine of the 21 pumps at Dhabeji will be shut down. The spokesperson said seven of these pumps would be restored by April 27, while the remaining two would stay offline for another five days to allow technical work to continue.

The utility also said the Nipa, Safoora and Sakhi Hasan hydrants would remain closed while the work is under way.

Karachi usually receives 650MGD of water, but supply is expected to fall to around 400MGD during the maintenance window, resulting in the announced shortfall. Areas facing complete disruption include North Karachi, Surjani Town, Scheme 33 and Gulistan-i-Jauhar. Parts of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Saddar and Chanesar Town will also see temporary shortages.

The planned shutdown comes as KWSC carries out what it describes as the final interconnection stage of the new line, part of a broader effort to modernise the city’s water infrastructure.