Six-decade-old main water line replaced

Published June 6, 2026 Updated June 6, 2026 06:08am

KARACHI: The Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) has replaced the 60-year-old Rising Main Line 5, which carries water from Dhabeji to Karachi.

Terming the project a major milestone in the rehabilitation of the city’s water infrastructure, Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab said that the decades-old water system was being upgraded in line with the city’s growing needs.

He said that the KWSC was rapidly advancing the phased rehabilitation and modernisation of the ageing water infrastructure to ensure improved, efficient, and uninterrupted water supply to citizens.

According to the KWSC spokesperson, the line was laid in 1966 and had deteriorated over time, suffering from severe disrepair, multiple leakages, and technical faults. “Frequent power outages and breakdowns caused pressure surges that repeatedly damaged the line, severely impacting the city’s water supply system,” he said.

The spokesperson said that recurring failures of the old, dilapidated line had disrupted water transmission. “Its complete replacement has now made the system more stable, efficient, and reliable,” he added.

He said that the project’s completion would significantly reduce water losses and technical breakdowns while markedly improving the overall performance of the city’s water supply network.

The spokesperson said that the project marked a key milestone under the Karachi Water & Sewerage Improvement Program, supported by the World Bank and other development partners.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2026