In Karachi, Pakistan’s economic hub with over 20 million residents, water scarcity transforms a basic necessity into a daily struggle. Residents in katchi abadis (informal settlements) queue for hours at erratic pipelines, while others pay exorbitant prices to private tankers controlled by a “tanker mafia” that siphons 272 million gallons per day (MGD)—41% of the city’s 650 MGD supply. The Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) falls short of the 1,080 to 1,200 MGD needed, with 35% of supply (227 MGD) lost to leaks and theft. This deficit, rooted in decades of mismanagement, crumbling infrastructure, and corruption, has made tankers necessary, but they are a symptom, not a solution. 

To eliminate reliance on tankers, Karachi must overhaul its water system through infrastructure modernisation, robust governance, sustainable practices, and community empowerment. This article traces the crisis’s origins, dissects its current dynamics, and outlines short- and long-term strategies to achieve a tanker-free future.

A Legacy of Neglect

Karachi’s water woes stem from rapid growth outpacing planning. In the 1970s, with 3.5 million people, the city relied on Dumlottee wells and reservoirs built for under 1 million. The Hub Dam (1981) and K-I project (50 MGD from the Indus River) were delayed and inadequate, normalising rationing in slums. By the 1980s, with 5.5 million residents, the Karachi Water & Sewerage Board (KWSB), formed in 1983, became a patronage hub rather than a solution. The K-II project (100 MGD) faltered amid funding and technical issues, leaving informal settlements dry.

In the 1990s, a population exceeding 10 million, with 40% in katchi abadis, strained the K-III project (100 MGD), while 1950s-era pipelines lost 30–40% of water. The 2000s saw 15 million residents and the K-IV project’s conception (650 MGD), now delayed to 2029. Today, with over 20 million people, Karachi’s overstretched system delivers only 423 MGD effectively, forcing reliance on tankers. This history underscores the need for systemic reform to eliminate their necessity.

A Path Forward For Pakistan: Breaking Free From The Sunk Cost Trap

The Current Crisis: A System on the Brink

Karachi draws 650 MGD from Keenjhar Lake (450 MGD), Hub Dam (100 MGD, rain-dependent), Haleji Lake (minor contributions), and Dumlottee wells (20 MGD). Demand, however, is 1,080–1,200 MGD—70% for households, 20% for businesses, and 10% for industries—leaving a 430–550 MGD shortfall. Aging pipelines lose 227 MGD (35%), compared to Tokyo’s 5% loss rate, highlighting infrastructure decay. Recent disruptions—April 2025 pipeline repairs in Abdullah Shah Ghazi Goth, December 2024 BRT construction damage costing 2.5 billion gallons, and a January 2025 Dhabeji Pumping Station explosion—expose the system’s fragility.

Tankers fill this gap, with over 10,000 operating daily, serving 25% of households as their primary source and 60% with piped connections as a supplement. The tanker mafia, diverting 272 MGD via legal and over 30 illegal hydrants, thrives on scarcity, allegedly with police and Rangers’ complicity, who control 54–68 MGD for ₨243–306 million daily. At ₨4,500 per 1,000 gallons, the mafia’s 272 MGD generates ₨1.224 billion daily, with annual revenues potentially exceeding ₨447 billion. This predatory........

© The Friday Times