KARACHI: During the second and third days of Eidul Azha when water is used more than usual to wash away the blood of slaughtered sacrificial animals and other purposes, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) reduced 20 million gallons of the city’s water supply.
“Yes, the city faced 20 million gallons water shortage on the second and third days of the Eid because there was a power shutdown at Dhabeji and Gharo pumping stations,” a KWSB official told Pakistan Today on the condition of anonymity.
“The Karachi Electric Supply Company announced that it will provide continuous power supply to the city during Eid, but at the same time, the power utility shut down the power to the pumping stations, resulting in the water shortage.”
KWSB sources said the power supply to these pumping stations was shut down for hours, due to which the water supply fell short by 20 million gallons on Thursday and Friday and the shortage would continue on Saturday as well.
Even though the reason for the water supply shortage from Dhabeji and Gharo pumping stations is usually power outages, it is pertinent to mention that the pumps at these two stations are outdated and usually stop working.
Many areas of the city including Landhi, Shah Faisal, KDA Scheme-1, Bhains Colony, Mehmoodabad, Chanesar Goth, Adamjeee Nagar, Manzoor Colony, Jinnah Society, Al-Hamra Society, Mohammad Ali Cooperative Housing Society and Baloch Colony receive water from Gharo pumping station. Dhabeji station serves the other areas of the city.
The city has a century-old outdated water supply system, which reduces water supply by 30 percent because of leakage, but the authorities concerned have never planned a strategy to overcome this problem.
