KARACHI, March 20: As the city faced a shortfall of about 100 mgd in the wake of short supply of water from the Dhabeji pumping station, private tankers did a roaring business on Tuesday.

Pumping of water to the city from four pumps of Dhabeji’s Phase-II pumping station had remained suspended for about 22 hours (from 12.50 am to 11pm on Tuesday) owing to a major fault that had developed in Dhabeji’s 11-KV high tension cable.

Taking undue advantage of the situation, private tankers on Wednesday charged between Rs 400 and 500 per tanker.

To a query, the KWSB sources admitted that there was a gap of 100 mgd, including the five mgd, which could not be pumped owing to non-availability of electricity at North-East Karachi’s both old and new pumping stations from 8.50 pm to 9.20 pm on Tuesday.

Asked how much time it will take to normalize the water supply situation, the KWSB officials said the overall water supply situation would be normalised by Friday morning.

Complaints of water shortage continued to pour in from various localities of the city for the sixth consecutive day on Wednesday.

Most of such complaints were received from Clifton’s Block 2, parts of Lyari and Kharadar, different societies, Adamjee Nagar, Bangalore Town, Shabbirabad, Old Golimar, Buffer zone’s sectors 15-A/1, 15-B, 16-A, North Karachi’s sectors 5-C/3.

The residents of the affected areas demanded of the City Nazim to direct the concerned officials of the KWSB to immediately restore normal supply of water as they cannot afford to buy private tankers for such a long period.