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Karachi is one of the largest metropolitans in the world undergoing rapid urbanization with a population of 20.30 million as highlighted in the census conducted by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics in 2023. As an economic hub of the country, the current infrastructure of water supply is under stress due to excessive demand from the rising population, industries, and businesses. The present supply to Karachi from the River Indus through Kinjheer lake and Hub River Dam is approximately 650 MGD against a demand of 1080 MGD. The shortfall is anticipated at 430 MDG.
The Dumlottee Wells, established in 1881, were the first significant source of water supply for Karachi, built by the British. Located approximately 35 kilometers from the city center, these wells tapped into the bed of the Malir River. The system utilized infiltration galleries and conduits to efficiently transport water, initially supplying around 5 million gallons daily (MGD), which met the city's early needs. However, as Karachi expanded in size and population, this supply became insufficient. To address this shortfall, several water projects were developed after Pakistan's independence in 1947, ultimately increasing the total water supply to 650 MGD from two primary sources: the Hub Dam and the Indus River. The city's water is now distributed through a multi-stage pumping station supported by an extensive network of conduits, canals, and pipes. The Indus River alone provides 580 MGD, while the Hub Canal contributes approximately 70 MGD from the Hub Dam.
Water from the Indus River is conveyed to Karachi through several systems including the Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply (GKBWS) System, the Haleji conduit, and the Dumlottee conduit.The embankment in Keenjhar lake was formed in 1950s to provide water to Karachi. The Keenjhar lake receives water from Kotri Barrage canal upstream via Kalri Baghar (KB) feeder. KB feeder (lower) takes water from the Keenjhar lake to Keenjhar Gujjo Canal to the Karachi water supply for use in irrigation as well as water supply. The GKBWS system conveys water from Kinjhar Lake to the Dhabeji Pumping Station utilizing various canals and conduits.
The Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply (GKBWS) system encompasses a network of strategically designed pipelines, pumping stations, and treatment facilities that facilitate the transportation and distribution of potable water from primary sources, including the Indus River and Keenjhar Lake. The GKBWS integrates advanced hydraulic modeling to optimize flow rates and pressure management, ensuring efficient delivery to various reservoirs and distribution points across the city.This system conveys water from Kinjhar Lake to the Dhabeji Pumping Station through the Keenjhar Gujjo (KG) Canal, Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) Canal, and K-II/K-III Canal. The total conveyance capacity between Gujjo and Dhabeji is currently 515 MGD.
The Haleji Conduit was initially designed to convey water from Haleji Lake. The Haleji lake is located in District Thatta at a distance of 96.1 km. The lake was converted into a water resorvior from a lagoon in 1930s. During the World War 2, the establishment of Karachi Cantonment led to increasing population thereby, increasing the city’s water demand.
To increase the water supply to Karachi by about 20 MGD, the Hilaya scheme was introduced which had two phases and in each phase 10 MGD was added in 1943 and 1953 respectively. From the lake the water was taken through a conduit to two pump houses situated in Gharo with each pump having a capacity of 10 MGD. The water was then filtered in plants of equal capacity through methods of sedimentation, rapid sand filtration and chlorination. A Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) canal brought the water to a 20 MGD capacity reservoir from where the water was then distributed across Karachi. The capacity of the canal was later increased to 30 MGD with additional requirement met from the Greater Karachi Raw water conduit. The Haleji Lake is no longer dependable, however, alternate connections guarantee a steady supply of water
The Dumlottee conduit originally sourced its water from the Dumlottee well fields, established in the Dumlottee area of the Malir Riverbed in the late 19th century. These large shallow wells were designed to utilize gravity and to deliver approximately 8 million gallons per day (MGD) to Karachi.
However, over the years, water supply from these wells has drastically diminished, and they now remain dry for most of the year, with only a brief flow following the rainy season. The decline in water availability can be attributed to excessive sand excavation from the Malir riverbed and the over-extraction of groundwater by local farmers, which has rendered the wells nearly non-functional, providing little to no water. Currently, the Dumlotte conduit receives its water from the GK Tunnel and the K-III conduit. According to the JICA master plan survey in 2007, the Dumlottee conduit is expected to be abandoned by 2025 due to the diminished yield of the Dumlottee wells. Nevertheless, it continues to play a role in supplementing Karachi's water supply through connections to the Indus River via the GK Tunnel and K-III conduit.
The Hub Dam, located on the Hub River in Balochistan, is the third-largest dam in Pakistan. This inter-provincial project supplies water to both Sindh and Balochistan and channels water to Karachi via the Karachi Water Supply Canal.
Notably, the reservoir provides approximately 62.2% of its total resources for domestic use in Karachi. The Karachi Canal, which extends 22.4 kilometers from the Hub Dam, has a capacity of 210 cubic feet per second (cusecs). This canal directs water to the Hub Pumping Station, which subsequently distributes it to various townships. Currently, due to the deterioration of the canal infrastructure, the water supply to Karachi has decreased to around 70 million gallons per day (MGD). In response to this issue, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KW&SC) has initiated the rehabilitation of the existing Hub Canal, as well as the construction of a new canal. This project is already underway, with contracts for the work having been awarded.
At present 640 MGD of water is being supplied to Karachi (except Steel mills and PQA) out of which 440 MGD is being filtered at:
As per World Health Organization’s (WHO) standards the water collected at the bottom of the filter is potable and in accordance with the. However, as an additional precaution, post chlorination is applied before storage in the reservoir for distribution in the city. According to the WHO guidelines, the minimum requirement of free chlorine in the distribution is 0.25 ppm. Nevertheless, KW&SC ensures a higher standard by maintaining 1 ppm free chlorine at the reservoir outlets, guaranteeing that the minimum requirement is consistently met throughout the distribution network. KW&SC is committed to providing total filtration capacity in the future further enhancing the quality of water being supplied to the city.
The following existing water treatment plants are listed below with their capacities and year of construction:
Name |
Process plant manufacturer |
Capacity (MGD) |
Date of construction |
|---|---|---|---|
Gharo -I |
PCI |
10 |
1944 |
Gharo -II |
PCI |
10 |
1953 |
Pipri-1 |
Degeremont |
25 |
1971 |
Pipri-II |
Wabag |
23 |
1978 |
COD-Hill |
Wabag |
70 |
1962 |
COD-Hill |
Degeremont |
45 |
1971 |
N.E.K Old |
Wabag |
25 |
1978 |
N.E.K (K-II) |
PCI |
100 |
1998 |
Pipri – III |
Bi-water |
50 |
2005 |
Hub Treatment |
Bi-water |
80 |
2005 |
Sewerage Generated in the city: 472 MGD (70% of Water Supplied)
Optimum Design Capacity of Sewerage Treatment Plants: 150 MGD
Quantity of Sewage Treated: 50 MGD approx.
Shortfall in Sewage Treatment Capacity: 322 MGD
Untreated Sewage: 417 MGD
Sewerage Treatment Plants: 3 Nos
Major Sewerage Pumping Station: 6 Nos
Sewerage Lift Pumping Station: 32 Nos
Sewer Cleaning Machines
Suction Machines: 23 Nos
Jetting Machines: 23 Nos
Total Length of Sewers: 5670 Kms
Number of Manholes: 250,000 Nos
Sewerage Treatment Plant, Optimum Design Capacity
Sewage Treatment Plant-I (Site), 51.00 MGD
Sewage Treatment Plant-II (Mehmoodabad), 46.50 MGD
Sewage Treatment Plant-III (Mauripur), 54.00 MGD
Total 151.50 MGD
Karachi Water & Sewerage Board is one of the biggest water & wastewater utilities in this region.
TP-1 (Shershah) covers areas such as SITE, North Nazimabad, North Karachi, Gulberg, and Liaquatabad.
TP-2 (Mehmoodabad) includes TP V Saddar and Jamshed town.
TP-3 (Mauripur) encompasses SITE, Baldia, Lyari, Saddar, Jamshed, and Iqbal Towns.
The Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KW&SC) has wastewater treatment plants consisting of three sectors. These facilities are dedicated to treating wastewater and ensuring its safe disposal to mitigate environmental pollution. As already discussed at great length in the “Our Projects” section, these projects include projects undertaken already and those under development in Public-Private mode.
Initiatives such as the Carbon Capture Project and the Sludge Re-use Program, spearheaded by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KW&SC), aim to significantly reduce water pollution, and promote sustainable practices in the region.
The Carbon Capture Project under which KW&SC is eyeing up to $40 in grants in aid from the World Bank facility of Transformative Carbon Asset Facility (TCAF), focuses on capturing carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from wastewater treatment facilities and other industrial sources. By implementing advanced carbon capture technologies, KW&SC seeks to mitigate GHG emissions that can contribute to climate change. This initiative not only helps improve air quality but also protects water bodies from the negative impacts of acid rain and other pollutants that can result from atmospheric CO2. In parallel, the Sludge Re-use Program addresses the management of wastewater sludge generated from sewage treatment processes. KW&SC is committed to recycling treated sludge for use in agriculture, landscaping, and soil enhancement. This not only reduces the volume of waste sent to landfills but also prevents potential water contamination from untreated sludge disposal. Studies have shown that using treated sludge can enhance soil fertility and support sustainable agricultural practices, thereby promoting a circular economy.
The proposed enhancements by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KW&SC) aim to significantly improve wastewater management and water quality in the region. Key components include expanding the capacity of existing treatment plants and establishing new Combined Effluent Treatment Plants (CETP) specifically designed for industrial zones.
New Wastewater treatments plants are also under process which include West Karachi Water Recycling Plant 1, Tp-I, TP-II, TP-III in the SITE Industrial areas and TP-IV in the Korangi Industrial Area primarily through public private partnership mode. Currently, existing wastewater treatment facilities in Karachi are operating beyond their intended capacity, struggling to meet the demands of a growing population, and increasing industrial activities. The process is already underway, and most of these plants will be functional by 2027 leading to a more sustainable approach to water usage.
Pumping stations like Clifton Pumping Station, PS-2 in Korangi Town, Jamila Pumping Station, Chakiwara Pumping Station, and PS-2 in SITE Town play a crucial role in transporting sewage to treatment plants for processing, ensuring proper wastewater management in Karachi.
|
SR. #. |
SEWERAGE TREATMENT PLANTS |
COORDINATES |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
TP 1 |
67°0'6.218"E 24°53'53.166"N |
|
2 |
TP 2 |
67°4'21.919"E 24°51'2.621"N |
|
3 |
TP 3 |
66°56'52.471"E 24°51'40.711"N |
|
4 |
TP 4 |
67°6'20.654"E 24°47'59.007"N |
The Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KW&SC) came into existence in April 1983 as a separate entity and has been levying charges for various services in the city through its Revenue Department, which includes charges for water,
sewerage, conservancy, and fire services. The Revenue Resource Generation (R.R.G) department is crucial for ensuring sustainable funding for water supply and sewerage services.
Applications for billing-related matters should be addressed to the Deputy
Director/In-charge Officer at the Consumer Service Center or the Deputy Director of the respective town's KW&SC Billing Office. Required documents vary based on the nature of the request, such as new entries, name changes, or corrections in bills.
For water and sewerage connections, visit the Consumer Service Center or your town's KW&SC Connection Office. Information related to your request, such as new connections, disconnections, or service changes etc, is detailed in this document.
The Revenue and Resource Generation section of KW&SC plays a crucial role in ensuring the efficient billing and collection of charges for water supply and sewerage services, thereby facilitating sustainable funding for the corporation's operations and infrastructure development.
