The Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has completed the task of installing six desalination plants along Manchar Lake for providing potable water to the populace residing in the areas adjacent to the lake. The honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan, during the hearing of a suo moto notice, had directed Wapda and the Sindh government to install desalination plants along the lake to provide contamination-free, safe drinking water to the fishermen folk of the area.
The water treatment plants installed by Wapda in compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court have cumulative design capacity of 6000 litres per hour. Over 2,000 families of fishermen folk (about 16,000 to 20,000 persons) are being facilitated with quality potable water (total dissolved solids 200 - 300 particles per million) by treating high saline effluent of Manchar Lake (total dissolved solids 5000 - 7000 particles per million).
Wapda has also made arrangements for effective operation and maintenance of the plants. In addition to the six plants mentioned above, Wapda is also installing another six plants of the same capacity on behalf of the Sindh government. These plants, expected to be operational by April 30, will provide safe drinking water to another 16,000 to 20,000 people along Manchar Lake.