KARACHI: The city is expected to face a daily water shortage of around 200 million gallons for at least four days as the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) begins repair work on a leaking 84-inch diameter main water line on Monday.
The leak was detected in the Phase-I main water line in Block 19 of Gulshan-i-Iqbal. It prompted the utility to initiate urgent repair and maintenance work. The 96-hour operation will begin at 12 noon on Monday.
The Phase-I main pipeline project, particularly the University Road section near Block 19, is part of the high-priority K-4 water augmentation initiative aimed at improving supply reliability.
A KWSC spokesman said the repair work was being carried out to stabilise and strengthen the city’s water supply system ahead of Ramazan. He said the decision was taken to ensure a smooth water supply during the holy month, adding that specialised teams would oversee the process to minimise disruption.
KWSC says leakages in 84-inch main in Gulshan to be plugged in four days
Areas likely to be affected by the water shortage include Landhi, Korangi, Malir, Shah Faisal, Gulshan, Jinnah, Chanesar, Saddar, Lyari and Clifton.
The spokesman said water supply from the Dhabeji Pumping Station would be temporarily reduced, while supply from other pumping stations would remain unaffected. This, he said, would ensure that residents continue to receive a significant portion of their daily water requirements.
He said the city normally receives around 650 million gallons of water per day and, despite the temporary reduction, it would still receive about 450 million gallons daily.
The spokesman said the utility was making efforts to complete the repair work as quickly as possible to minimise inconvenience to residents. He added that the Landhi and Sherpao hydrants would also remain temporarily closed during the repair period.
While the repair work is expected to be completed within 60 hours, the deadline has been extended to 96 hours in case additional repairs are required.
The KWSC advised residents in the affected areas to store water in advance and use it judiciously during the repair period.
Meanwhile, sources in the water utility told Dawn that the 84-inch diameter main line had developed leaks at seven to eight locations. They said a major leak was identified near the KE Power House in Block 19, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, with another leak about 200 feet away. Additional leaks were also found in underground sections of the main line in areas where encroachments had been made above it.
The sources said repair work would be carried out inside the 84-inch diameter main line at the encroached locations.
