ALL utilities in Pakistan are metered and billed to consumers. However, water, the basic need of life, is being ‘billed and charged’ in lump-sum by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) without metering the water consumed.

Moreover, the residents of Karachi continue to face water shortage and are forced to buy unfiltered water from private water tanker operators. The KWSB has miserably failed to meet the demand of water, causing scarcity in the metropolis, yet it issues fixed water bills to consumers against unmeasured water supplied and actually consumed on the basis of covered area, regardless of water having been supplied or not.

The sewerage services provided to the consumers are also pathetic. Hence, citizens not only face water crisis, but are also troubled by blocked sewerage lines due to poor cleaning and maintenance.

Many areas in Karachi and adjoining localities receive line water for only a couple of hours on a few days every week. The other severely hit areas get water only once a week or once a month.

While the consumers wait for water, it is diverted to tanker mafia to usurp and sell for financial motives. The problem lies in the distribution and supply system and gross corruption and mismanagement of KWSB officials who are interested only in collecting money from consumers without providing any service.

The organisation cries over the non-availability of water as a natural calamity and delay in K-IV water project, but does nothing for the consumers.

The citizens who are left with no choice but to purchase water from the tanker mafia deserve exemption from bill payment till the KWSB provides smooth water supply and sewerage services to them.

Hasan Adil Malik
Karachi

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2020