Karachi is presently facing water shortfall of almost 45 percent and the rapid increase in the city's population and constructions of multi-story buildings may further aggravate the issue in the future.
Addressing a press conference at Karachi Press Club (KPC), Managing Director Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KW&SB) Misbah-uddin Fareed said that the city's actual water requirement is around 1100 million gallon per day (GPD); but the water utility is able to provide only 680 million gallons to its 1.7 million consumers. To cater the growing water needs, the provincial government has designed K-4 project which will complete within two years since its starting, he said. The multi-billion project is under consideration at Chief Minister House. The provincial government has already handed over 11000 acre of land in Hyderabad and Karachi Division to the KW&SB.
He said the city's infrastructure needs urgent attention from the government. The MD said, ""Without proper planning, dream of developed Karachi may not come true." He also identified various flaws in water distribution system, underscoring the need of upgrading the existing mechanism.
Fareed said the availability of water to KW&SB's system is linked with the level of reserved water at dams. Recalling he said six to eight months back the city faced acute crises as water level of Hub Dam went below the average point. However, the rainfall in the dam's catchment area increased its water level to 350 feet, which would help sustain supplies from the reservoir to the city.
He said there are some 16 big and 180 small water supply stations in KW&SB's network, and huge monetary resources are required for their continuous operations. Elaborating he said, "The water board's monthly expenditure under the head of power bill has gone up to Rs 520 million.
He said there are almost 1.7 million KW&SB consumers, of them only 0.3 million are used to pay their water bills and taxes, due to which the board was facing severe financial constraints. To a query, Mishah said since he has taken over the office charge, some 193 illegal hydrants were closed down and over 2100 lines were disconnected in various operations with the help of Sindh Police and Rangers.
To another question regarding the KW&SB's 'inaction' over water theft mafias operating in the city with impunity, he said some 100 FIRs have been launched against various people under the section 14-A of the Board's act. But, unfortunately not a single culprit has been brought to justice for the reasons best known to police.
Explaining the section 14-A he said, "If any person who damages, punctures water trunk mains ranging from eighteen inch dia to eighty four inch dia, canals, pumping stations of the Board for any purpose including selling of water or taking illegal connections; shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to 10 years and with fine which may extend to rupees 1 million or with both."
"I can't rule out the possibility of ghost employees within the water utility. But disciplinary actions are being taken against them. We have fired as many as 500 employees for being regularly absent from the offices", he told. He said that in compliance with the Supreme Court's orders, KWSB demolished the subsoil water hydrants in the city. These hydrants were supplying substandard water to different localities in the metropolis.