KWSC hopes to repair burst pipeline today

Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) Chief Operating Officer (COO) Engineer Asadullah Khan on Friday issued a detailed video statement addressing the causes behind recent pipeline bursts and the ongoing repair work at Syphon 19, located near the University of Karachi.

He explained that the water pipelines at Syphon 19 were decades old — one was laid in 1956 and the other in 1971 — making them 69 and 54 years old, respectively. These lines had now exceeded their intended operational lifespan.

According to the COO, there are two Pre-stressed Reinforced Cement Concrete (PRCC) pipelines at Syphon 19, each with a diameter of 84 inches. One of the lines stretches over 16,000 feet (approximately five kilometres). The syphon system begins in Saadi Town and runs up to the University Road.

He pointed out that the U-shaped design of the pipelines at Syphon 19 significantly increases water pressure. This pressure was far greater than what occurred in straight pipelines, making the ageing infrastructure vulnerable to bursts under stress.

Khan noted that the water supply pipelines from Dhabeji to Karachi use a straight conduit design, which avoided the elevated pressure caused by U-shaped configurations and therefore remained intact. He further informed that the damaged PRCC pipeline was currently being replaced with a mild steel (MS) pipe. To ensure strength and durability, four tonnes of sikka would be poured on both sides of the pipe after it is heated to 300 degrees Celsius.

The COO expressed hope that the repair work would be completed by Saturday evening, at which point the water supply would resume. He also apologised to the public for the inconvenience and thanked citizens for their patience and cooperation.