Water management

Across the country, municipal administrations have constantly struggled to supply potable water to residents and failed to regularise hydrants. This has allowed private water tanker businesses to operate and exploit people by providing water tankers at extortionate rates. Even though district and municipal administrations have issued notices to illegal hydrants to obtain a regular license, pay a monthly fee, and sell water tankers at fixed rates, no concrete action has been taken. Consequently, some residents have resorted to private boring, which is also an expensive process.

Amid high inflation, purchasing potable water at high rates is yet another strain on the public. The ongoing monsoon spell is offering the Ministry of Water Resources (MOWR) an opportunity to store water and improve supply for the future. During the past week, the Hub dam, located 56 kilometres from Karachi reached peak capacity and overflowed in Balochistan due to the heavy downpour. According to the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB), the reservoir has received enough water to supply Karachi with 100 million gallons of water per day for the next three years. This should improve the water supply in different parts of Karachi.

The northern and central parts of Pakistan are expected to receive another spell of rain in the coming days, which means an excess supply of water. The MOWR should work with the provincial governments and district administrations to develop plans for water management. Just before the monsoon season, some areas of Pakistan were experiencing acute water shortages, which could have been addressed with proper water management and supply mechanisms in place. Therefore, more dams and reservoirs must be created to improve supply, which should be regulated to avoid shortages and dismantle the tanker mafia.