Quoting KWSB sources a news report appearing on August 1, gave the glad tidings of early end of water shortage in the city as a plan now on the anvil is implemented for gradual replacement of all the 160 pumps and 15 filter plants, installed at various locations that have outlived their utility.
Once the system is revamped and new generators installed to keep the pumping and filtering process running efficiently, there should be left little cause of hardship to the people. This would be in addition to the ongoing efforts launched to improve water supply.
Under an arrangement made Siemens Pakistan would be supplying within 15 days seven heavy duty diesel-operated generators to Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to help it tide over the periodic power outages that interrupt water supply to Karachi. These units were to be delivered to the KWSB in October 2007, but the schedule could not be kept.
The capacity of these generators, which are estimated to cost Rs 76 billion, will be from 350kv to 1250kv. The KWSB is expected to receive them by the middle of August and give Siemens another 15 days for their installation. Against a year's warranty, the manufacturer would be responsible for their replacement in case of unsatisfactory performance.
More to this, the company has also undertaken to provide training in operation and maintenance to the KWSB staff. Once trained, they would remain posted at the same unit for at least two years. Now that the water reservoir at Hub has two years supplies, all its channels and canals are stated to have been repaired, enabling regular supply of 100 mgd water to the city.
As for the remaining requirements of water, it will have to be met from the Indus source, but the teething problems of this project are not yet over and extra efforts are needed to ensure its efficient performance. From all indications, renewed emphasis on smooth functioning of KWSB forms part of the City Government's new Water Policy, unveiled by the City Nazim, Syed Mustafa Kamal, who is also chairman of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, in April last year.
While claiming it to be based on realism and transparency, with a consumer-friendly thrust, he dismissed the old policy as outdated, unrealistic, non-transparent, complicated, and anti-people, besides being a source of harassment to the consumers, and causing huge losses to the KWSB too. It is, however, another matter that there are other extraneous problems that have been disturbing the city water supply system.
Reference, in this regard, has been also made to illegal activities like diversion of water off the distribution channels for selfish motives or from pressure of influential persons and other purposes. Determined as the city appears to be fulfil its obligations one hopes the hindrances will be taken care of.