Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Tuesday announced that joint action would be taken to curb water theft, stressing the importance of a consensus-driven approach to resolving the city’s water issues.
Chaired by Wahab, a special session of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Council was held in the City Council Hall on the request of council members to deliberate on improving the city’s water supply and drainage systems, with participation from representatives of all political parties.
Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad, council member and adviser to Sindh chief minister Najmi Alam, Municipal Commissioner SM Afzal Zaidi, parliamentary party leaders, chief engineers of the Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KWSC), and a large number of council members were present at the session.
Addressing the council, Wahab revealed plans for strict monitoring of all hydrant nozzles, including the requirement of written affidavits from responsible officers. A committee comprising both government and opposition members will also be formed to oversee hydrant operations.
The mayor said the PC-I for the K-III overground pipeline for Lyari is being revised in the upcoming fiscal budget to prevent water theft, as the current line has been a major target.
He thanked Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for facilitating a Rs12 billion grant from the provincial government, which would fund the construction of the Hub Canal.
This project is expected to add 40 million gallons a day, allowing for more efficient distribution of the K-III water to other areas. He said funding has been approved to exempt key water supply and drainage pumping stations in Lyari and Saddar Town from power outages.
He highlighted discrepancies in billing, noting that while K-Electric has 3.8 million consumers in Karachi, only 1.4 million are registered with the KWSC, and bills are issued to just 500,000, with even fewer paying.
He criticised the negative perception that the KWSC does not supply water, clarifying that water is available in many areas, and that billing covers both water and sewerage services.
He said that since he assumed office, the KWSC’s revenue has increased from Rs1.1 billion to Rs1.8 billion, an amount that is currently spent on maintenance.
Although the KWSC’s chief executive officer and chief operating officer were expected to attend the session, they were absent due to a Sindh High Court order revoking their appointments. Despite this, the session proceeded with detailed discussions.
Alam proposed dividing the KWSC into three zones, with officers appointed in each to enhance performance. He noted that while the corporation’s total collection stands at Rs600 million, revenue from billing remains minimal.
To ensure sustainability, he urged the expansion of the tax net, particularly to include Katchi Abadis, many of which have legal leases but are not billed. He also flagged illegal pipelines in the western zones, where residents are charging others for water. UC-6 Manghopir Town Chairperson Zubeda Iqbal called for installing solar panels at pumping stations to ensure uninterrupted water supply during outages. She also thanked the mayor for initiating water supply work in Yusuf Goth. The session was adjourned until next Friday.