KARACHI: Hit by a prolonged drought, the Hub dam has registered a slight increase in its level with the recent spells of rain but is still below the dead level, said a Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) official on Wednesday, hoping that the water coming down from its catchment area would boost the reservoir in a few days.

Located at the Sindh-Balochistan border, the dam had been a major source of drinking water for the city over a year ago. Supplies, however, significantly reduced in recent years due to drought conditions and finally completely stopped a few months ago when it again hit its lowest point of 276 feet.

“The water level has risen to 275.50 feet, only an increase of nine inches. But, we are expecting that the water coming from its large catchment area that includes the Kirthar and Pub ranges will improve its level in the coming days,” said Wapda project director Tariq Khosa.

The dam used to supply 100MGD water mainly to the district west and parts of Orangi, Shershah, Pak Colony and Site.

According to Wapda sources, the Hub dam has a storage capacity of 687,000 acre-foot and its catchment area is spread over 3,000 square miles.

Since its establishment in the 1980s, the dam has been hit by drought conditions five to six times. It was last filled to its optimum level in 2007. The respective shares of Sindh (53pc) and Balochistan (36.7pc) were finally slashed down to 40pc last November or December owing to falling water levels.

Government data show that if the dam is filled to its maximum level of 39 feet, it can supply 100 million gallons and 59 million gallons daily to Karachi and parts of Balochistan respectively for two and a half years without interruption.

Pinning hopes on the current monsoon, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) officials say that they might extend the period of their plan of pumping water from the Hub dam (water earlier flowed down to the city through gravity).

The plan, yet to be launched, has been conceived following an acute shortage of water in the city that has resulted in violent protests.

Karachi, according to KWSB officials, after losing the Hub dam source a year ago entirely depends on the Indus River for its 550MGD supplies, which is half of what the city actually requires.

“Arrangements have been finalised to lift 25 to 50MGD from the Hub dam. In fact, water was being pumped on experimental basis from the dam before the rain struck and we had to stop,” said KWSB managing director Misbahuddin Farid.

The project would be inaugurated soon by a high official of the provincial government that had allocated Rs200m for this purpose.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2016