When the state run water supply failed, the water mafia
stepped in to distribute water in those areas where supply lines are not laid.
But in actual just to overcome the shortfall, their tankers supply water from
hydrants also in those areas where KWSB supply infrastructure are already
available and established. Therefore it shouldn't be surprising why and how
water is available in hydrants but scarce in KWSB and various Cantonment Boards
main supply lines. Interestingly, even the legal hydrants are made for
temporary period specially for water supply in emergency situations but
malpractices of higher authorities have made them a permanent feature of the megacity.
In other cities of the world, supply and distribution of
water through lines and valves to consumers is a standard and developed process
but our civic bodies rather working on or bringing improvement and up-gradation
of water lines, invest their money in purchasing water tankers. This practice
not only make water expensive and spoil a sizable public budget in means of maintenance, fuel and other
expenses of tankers, but most importantly
these heavy vehicles destroy road infrastructure and are reason of traffic
problems including accidents and jamming in Karachi.
Both Sindh police and KWSB' authorities shift blame on each other
for failing to combat the menace of hydrants and tanker mafia. Yet "the
problem is more serious and deep-rooted in Karachi" recently admitted by the
DIG police before a judicial commission investigating causes of poor sanitary
conditions and the shortage of potable water in Sindh.
Water Contamination
Then the alarming quality of drinking water is a silent
havoc in the city. Contamination in water is a serious issue, because analysis
of water samples collected from the houses of consumers reveals that a sizable
percentage of total collected samples were unsafe for drinking purpose mainly because
of micro biological contamination. The Sindh government not only has failed to
supply required quantity of potable water to consumers, it has also turned
blind eyes to widespread criminal act of releasing contaminated effluent into
fresh water bodies.
Chlorination of water in filtration plants are not done
properly, although the KWSB maintains that they do chlorinate water but the
Board admittedly lacks complete filtration capacity. The rickety water supply system to the city
has also been found ageing. Cases of chronic diseases like diarrhea, cholera,
dysentery, typhoid and hepatitis are common, specifically in children living in
katchi abadis. According to a news report published way back in 2004, more than
10,000 people die every year in Karachi because of renal function caused by
contaminated water.
Alternative Resources of Water
To alleviate the water shortage in Karachi, the KWSB is
presently working on the Rs. 25.5 billion K-4 project, which will provide an
additional 659 MGD to the city by drawing water from Keenjhar lake.
The Reverse Osmosis (RO) Plants have been tried out in Lyari
and Kemari Towns couple of years ago but was not emerged as a good solution of
water in Karachi. These plants cost expensive while the high Total Dissolved
Solids (TDS) in underground water is unsuitable in Karachi . Storm water drains'
infiltration is the main reason of TDS because it mobilise, migrates and
accumulate in ground water as a result of toxic and other contaminated infiltration.
Desalination plant can be a good option because of the
coastal value of the city. But again we hardly afford this expensive expertise
and maintenance expense. Most importantly we lack the technical capability to
run desalination plants. Take the example of Cogen Power and Desalination Plant
which was shut down soon after its inception in 2008. Situated by the seaside
at DHA Phase VIII and built at cost of $115 million, the Plant has the capacity
to desalinate 3 million gallon seawater into portable drinking water and sell
it to the Clifton Cantonment Board to distribute the water in DHA. But it is
not functional ever since its kick off and the residents of DHA still bank upon
water hydrants for their water need. Though, in middle east the desalination
plants are a successful source of water supply and the water authorities of
Karachi just need to improve their technical expertise over this technology,
but water experts believe that only natural and dedicated water supply lines
are the solution of Karachi water crisis.
(Concluded)
By
Najeeb Wali
Member, Infocus
No comments:
Post a Comment