KARACHI, Dec 1: Water supply to the city from Hub reservoir was on Thursday curtailed to the tune of 13 million gallons per day (mgd), forcing the KWSB to opt for rationing of water in the localities hooked to the Hub source.

Confirming the reduction in the supply to 87 mgd, KWSB Chief Engineer (Bulk Transmission) Ali Mohammad Palejo told Dawn that though the supply from the Hub source would continue for 24 hours, the engineers concerned had made some internal arrangements to offset the short supply and such arrangements might include rationing of water in the affected areas.

He was quite confident that the engineers concerned would manage the affair and control the situation arising out of the short supply. He, however, did not explain how the shortage would be overcome.

Independent sources said that a contingency plan was being implemented which included curtailing pumping hours in almost every locality of the affected areas. This would ultimately cut the duration of water supply to all such localities.

The localities which are likely to suffer a shortage due to the situation are Shershah, Banaras, Qasba, Manghopir, SITE (both residential and industrial areas), sprawling townships of Orangi, Baldia, Surjani and parts of North Karachi.

The decision to curtail water supply from Hub source to Karachi and Lasbela had been taken recently at a high-level meeting in Islamabad in the wake of a sharp drop in the reservoir’s water level owing to the dry monsoon this year.

Water level in the Hub reservoir has gone down to 298 RL which means that it is hardly 21 RL away from its dead storage level.

Sources in the KWSB said that if the city continues to draw water at the present level of 87 mgd, supply from the source would be possible till mid-May and shortly afterwards, the K-3 project, as expected, would start functioning. Through the K-3 project, the city would start receiving additional 100 mgd water from the Indus source.

The sources pointed out that the decision to curtail supply from the Hub source was aimed at ensuring continued supply till mid-May.