KARACHI, May 3: Karachiites on Wednesday started getting 44mgd additional water from River Indus with the functioning of K-III system.
The KWSB has decided to increase the quantity of water gradually and it is expected that the city will get a total additional supply of 100mgd water within a week through K-III system, a KWSB official said.
He said the KWSB had commissioned K-III system partially from Monday and initially 22mgd was being supplied to the water-starved areas of the city including Baldia, Orangi, Qasba Colony, Pak Colony and New Karachi.
After completion of physical work of K-III project in March, the KWSB carried out testing of its 13 components a few days ago and now the additional water was being supplied to the city, he said.
The 100-km-long K-III project has been constructed from Keenjhar Lake to Karachi city and from northeast Karachi pumping station to Hub city at a cost of Rs5.89 billion.
Out of 100mgd water, 95mgd would be supplied to Karachi city and remaining 5mgd to Hub city, the official maintained.
At present, 450mgd water was being supplied to the city from Keenjhar Lake and 55mgd from Hub Dam. The actual water need of the metropolis was 648mgd.
According to the KWSB official, the water level of Hub Dam is rapidly decreasing due to meagre rains last year. Thus, Wapda has informed the KWSB that water share of Karachi will further cut down after May 6 and only 45mgd water would be supplied to the city from Hub.
He said that the short supply from Hub Dam would not create serious water shortage in the city after commissioning of the K-III system as it would bring 95mgd additional water to the city.
Though the city would start getting a total of 590mgd water from different sources after full functioning of the K-III system, water shortage would persist in the city as the require need was 648mgd.
SHORTAGE: The KWSB announced that the installation of valve at 84-inch-dia pipeline supplying additional water from K-III project to Hub Pumping Station, which was to take place on Thursday and Friday, has been postponed.—Online/PPI
