AN elaborate workshop was organized to discuss issues relating to the water and sanitation situation in Karachi last month. World Bank, Federal Ministry of Environment, Sindh Local Government Department and City District Government of Karachi (CDGK) were the hosts. A the key recommendation of the workshop participants was disaggregation of the sector.
Stakeholders proposed a separation of policy making, regulations and management affairs. It is encouraging to note that reforms are being considered in this vital urban infrastructural sector. However it will be useful if the holistic perspective is taken as presented in depth in several research studies.
A great deal has been said about the scarcity of supply and poor distribution network of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) – the principal water and sewerage utility. One prime fact is that there is a sizable gap between supply and demand.
According to a World Bank Sanitation Programme (WSP) report, the total demand of water in Karachi is over 820 million gallons per day (mgd). The total supply is estimated to be 495 mgd. Expansion in city boundaries and neighbourhoods, changing life styles, haywire real estate development and densifications in inner city areas give rise to an increasing demand of water. Thus water rationing is the only available option for the utility to deal with the situation.
Underground piping system has well passed its designed life in the southern and central parts of the city. Due to lack of routine maintenance, a sizable amount of water is lost due to seepage and leakage. Usage of poor quality construction material in repairs, uneven carpeting of roads and rampant/unplanned increase in the award of connections cause a chronic loss of water. When water was pumped with full pressure in Orangi (Sector 11½) in 1996, half of the neighbourhood was inundated due to mass-scale leakages in the distribution lines.
Water theft is an organized enterprise.Puncturing main siphons in the eastern suburbs, illegal connections in distribution lines, stealing from bulk consumer lines and using high power suction devices are a few examples. According to a former managing director, KWSB, 35 per cent supply is lost due to leakage and theft. There is no system or schedule to distribute water at the lane or sub-neighbourhood level. Valve-men of the area and other staff members manage the lane and household level supply according to priorities set by local influentials.
Western part of the city is connected to the precarious Hub source which remains full only during rainy season. Otherwise, continuing dry weather spells render it completely devoid of supply quantity. Orangi, Baldia and Qasba – that jointly account for over 2.5 million residents – face acute problems. Over a period of time, KWSB has accumulated a debt burden of over Rs46 billion. Rising number of non-paying consumers is one of the causes.
According to statistics, the utility has 1.1 million registered consumers. The recovery has been found below 10 per cent of the total subscribers of service. In order to get rid of this financial liability, the government of Sindh (GoS) had prepared a privatization strategy in 1994-95 under the guidance of the World Bank. Due to the lobbying efforts of citizen groups, consumer rights organizations and few professional groups, the privatizzation attempt was reviewed. Finally, as a consequence of a Sindh High Court order, it was stalled.
Water vending is a booming business in the city. What evolved as an emergency service by the utility to serve its clientele has become a full- fledged enterprise awaiting official recognition.
According to Karachi Water Tanker Association, more than 8.5 mgd water is distributed through 50000 tanker trips each day. Water deficient neighbourhoods, peripheral squatters, construction sites, industrial enterprises, temporary congregations and special locations such as sacrificial animal market are its routine clients.
Water from vending is at least 23 times more expensive than piped water. Besides, the city has dozens of illegal boreholes/hydrants that supply saline or brackish water for non-drinking uses. Due to scarcity, some dwellers are forced to use this water for drinking as well. Mostly this water is extremely hazardous for health.
Stock taking of the supply network system has not yet been undertaken by KWSB. This survey is vital to spot the leakage and theft points; establish the actual number of connections to review consumer statistics; understand the technical parameters such as supply pressures and nearness to other infrastructural conduits such as sewerage and power.
Such a survey is also vital to develop an effective operation and maintenance scheduling – a pre-requisite for a dependable and sustainable water supply system. There are many areas where the water supply network has been completely modified after ad hoc connections, road cutting adjustments and even densifications. These happenings need to be properly documented.
City sewerage system is in shambles, to say the least. There are few neighbourhoods which are connected to the proper underground sewerage network. Remaining areas, including planned sectors, informally link up to open storm water drains, natural creeks (towards the south and east of the city) and nullahs. The three sewerage treatment plants do not receive adequate quantities of sensing to treat. Thus a massive capital expenditure which was spent through an Asian Development Bank assistance during 1990s, has seemingly gone into waste.
The KWSB laid drains are silted and overflow very frequently. Same is true for open nullahs and creeks. In low income areas, people have provided for internal lane level infrastructure themselves through their own resources. This needs to be appreciated by connecting the infrastructure to the secondary and main drains. The Orangi Pilot Project – Research and Training Institute (OPP-RTI) has undertaken detailed documentation and mapping of this work in over 200 katchi abadis. Feedback can be drawn from this valuable initiative.
The KWSB, like similar agencies in other cities, was to be devolved in the CDG as per proviso of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance (SLGO) (Amendment), 2002. However there was no time frame given for this transition. The nature, extent and details of transition were to be decided as per the administrative convenience determined by the CDGK. The case of devolution of KWSB became anomalous since the specified time frame and deadline pertinent to the spirit of the overall local government set-up could not be met. The transition phase is still not complete.
Bulk water supply to large scale consumers is one of the better managed service of KWSB. With the exception of a few government institutions, the other clients promptly pay bills. In 1999-2000, the receipts from bulk consumers accounted for 36.16 per cent. There is also a rising demand for this kind of service due to continuous rise in the consumers of large magnitude. Various housing societies such as Defence Housing Society or Air Force Housing Society are clients that are eager for an expansion in supply quantities.
In an attempt to technically and institutionally re-vamp the water and sewerage sector, there is an urgent need to organize the survey of the system on a comprehensive basis. KWSB should focus on the recovery of dues from the large scale defaulters to bolster its financial position. Tanker service needs to be assessed on a scientific basis to examine whether it should be reduced to an emergency service or a commercial enterprise. The control and repairs of leakage points, seeping mains and thefts must be undertaken without delay.
Main nullahs, which carry the sewage in bulk quantities need to be strengthened, repaired and upgraded. Sewerage treatment facilities must be planned and developed at the mouths of these nullahs to treat maximum quantities of water and save marine life. And finally, concrete attempts are needed to institutionalize the reforms. The KWSB Act of 1996 may be repealed to allow for the active and functional devolution of KWSB as a Water and Sanitation Group of Offices in CDGK.
This can only be made possible in a step by step manner. First, a confidence building exercise must be undertaken between the City Nazim and his colleagues with the management of WSD. The efforts must be made to build a congenial working relationship, removal of fears and conflicts and identification of problems in this regard. Second, a list of such functions and responsibilities, primarily related to the institutional and management aspect must be worked out which can be delegated to the elected bodies vis town and union councils.
To move cautiously, few mutually agreed towns may be chosen for an initial process of devolution. After drawing feedback, the process must be extended to the entire city. And third, the elected representatives must be involved in decision making regarding the routine operation and maintenance works, particularly in the prioritization of different tasks.
