KARACHI: Water may be rationed in Karachi. The Deputy Commissioner, assigned to conduct an inquiry into the reports of water shortage in the City, was yesterday [May 15] asked by the Commissioner to examine the feasibility of fixing water quotas for various localities.

The Deputy Commissioner began his inquiry immediately after a meeting called by the Commissioner to discuss water shortage and inspected water supply in Sind Industrial Trading Estate and the P.E.C.H.S.

At the meeting, the Commissioner told officers of the Karachi Development Authority and the Karachi Municipal Corporation to keep a strict check on water supply and give priority to supply of drinking water in all the areas.

He also directed the officers to take action against people who were wasting water and were keeping their taps and tanks in defective conditions. The Chairman of the Corporation complained that the Authority had closed the main valves and this had led to air clogging. The officers of the Authority explained that they had only throttled the valves to increase the pressure so that water could reach places at high altitudes.

Replying to the Commissioner, who said that he had received numerous complaints about the water shortage, the engineers of the Authority said there was no question of a shortage as 90 million gallons of water was being supplied to the City every day.

It was explained that seven million gallons of water per day was being supplied from the Dumlottee wells, 20 million gallons from Haleji and 70 million gallons from the bulk supply.

The Commissioner asked the Corporation and the Authority to report to him every day the joint meter readings of water supply in Karachi. — Correspondent

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2017