Karachi, a city of over 16 million people, is facing a severe water crisis exacerbated by corruption and illegal activities. With an official water quota of 650 million gallons per day (MGD), the city is already grappling with a shortage of at least 450 MGD. However, the real crisis lies beneath the surface, involving illegal hydrants and the Water Mafia.
The Shadowy World of Illegal Hydrants
Karachi has 86 illegal hydrants operating within its boundaries. Despite efforts to curb this menace, such as the tragic case of Furqan Akhtar, a 36-year-old water board supervisor who was killed in November 2022 while hunting down illegal hydrants and reporting them to the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB)’s water theft cell, the illegal operations continue unabated.
These illegal hydrants and the Water Mafia siphon off a staggering Rs100 million daily from no less than 40+ million gallons per day (MGD) of water, which is then sold across the city via tankers. This figure only accounts for water from the six legal hydrants in the city, which include NIPA, Sherpao (near Steel Town), Safoora, Manghopir (often referred to as the Crush Plant hydrant), Sakhi Hassan, and Landhi hydrant. In reality, 18 more hydrants operate illegally.
Corruption at the Core
The situation is further compounded by corrupt KWSB officials who alter and move water lines underground, diverting water to industrial and affluent areas willing to pay more. This leaves low-income localities like Baldia and Orangi severely water-stressed. Baldia's hydrant, operated on the ‘deputy commissioner quota’, and the NEK hydrant in district East, run by the National Logistics Cell (NLC), are notable exceptions. The NLC hydrant, managed by a serving major, operates virtually autonomously from the KWSB, which legally controls the city's subsoil water.
Additionally, while KWSB officials complain there is no more than 20% recovery of bills from katchi abadis, in many places residents are paying water dues — just not to the KWSB. For example, a Korangi resident’s receipt for water supply payment includes a lineman’s phone number at the bottom. If lower KWSB staff like linemen have such local ‘arrangements’ in place, one can imagine what munificence the water board itself bestows on powerful customers.
One glaring example is about 40 km from Karachi, adjacent to the Dumlottee-K2 interchange, where a pumping station draws water through two 12" connections exclusively for Bahria Town Karachi (BTK). This is believed to be one among six connections that the water board, without following due procedure, has given the real estate developer for its mammoth gated project at the cost of the Karachi residents downstream. Sources say that the KWSB MD at the time, following orders from his political bosses, called the top executives into his office and directed them to sign off on the connections in total violation of the prescribed process. The board itself has yet to approve and notify the connections, a seemingly irrelevant detail considering the circumstances. For services rendered, the KWSB MD at the time has reportedly been employed post-retirement as a consultant by Bahria.
Environmental and Economic Toll
The estimated delivery of at least 32 MGD per day through tankers does not even include the NLC tankers, painting a grim picture of the city's water management. The recent Nespak survey confirms that only about 520 MGD of water actually enters the city, primarily sourced from the Indus-fed Keenjhar Lake, Haleji Lake (both in Sindh), and the Hub Dam in Balochistan. The Hub Dam, crucial for low-income areas like Baldia and Orangi, relies entirely on runoff water from the Kirthar Range.
The environmental impact is equally devastating. With approximately 12,000 tanker trips covering 180,000 kilometers daily, the diesel consumption reaches 23,000 liters, resulting in pollution of 9.2 metric tonnes each day. Financially, this translates to an outlay of around $1.2 million per month at the current official exchange rate, amounting to nearly $8.4 million annually.
Conclusion
Karachi's water crisis is a multifaceted problem driven by illegal operations, corruption, and severe mismanagement. Addressing this crisis requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders, including government authorities, law enforcement, and the community, to dismantle the Water Mafia and ensure equitable distribution of water across the city. Only then can Karachi hope to overcome its chronic water woes and pave the way for a sustainable future.
Disclaimer: The data provided in this article is sourced from The Wire Pakistan's investigative team, but the compilation and writing of this article have been facilitated by artificial intelligence.
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