Karachi to Face Major Water Shortfall for 48 Hours

Karachi will face a water shortfall of around 250 million gallons per day (MGD) for 48 hours as work begins to connect a newly constructed transmission line with the existing network at the Dhabeji Pumping Station.

The Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) said the final interconnection of Transmission Line No. 5 will start on Saturday evening and is expected to be completed within two days.

According to a spokesperson, the shutdown will take place from 12 noon on April 25 to April 27 as part of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Services Improvement Project (KWSSIP), which aims to upgrade the city’s ageing infrastructure.

During this period, water supply from the Fourth Phase, K-II, and K-III systems will remain suspended.

Areas expected to face complete disruption include North Karachi, Surjani Town, Scheme 33, and Gulistan-i-Jauhar, while parts of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Saddar, and Chanesar Town will experience temporary shortages.

The spokesperson said the upgrade is expected to improve transmission efficiency and stabilize water pressure across the system after completion.

To facilitate the work, nine of the 21 pumps at Dhabeji will be shut down. Seven pumps are expected to be restored by April 27, while two will remain offline for an additional five days to complete technical work.

Hydrants at Nipa, Safoora, and Sakhi Hasan will remain closed during the maintenance period. Karachi typically receives around 650 MGD of water, but supply is expected to drop to approximately 400 MGD during the shutdown.