Dr Noman Ahmed Professor and Chairman Department of Architecture and Planning NED University, Karachi

1. WATER SUPPLY ISSUES IN KARACHI – APPRAISAL AND WAY FORWARD
(SHEHRI SEMINAR, 25 November, 2014)
Dr Noman Ahmed
Professor and Chairman
Department of Architecture and Planning
NED University, Karachi

2. OUTLINE
1.Background
2.Appraisal
3.Challenges
4.Way Forward

3. 1.BACKGROUND
•Fresh water is a scarce resource – only 3 percent of total volume at the global level.
•Fresh water reservoirs and aspirations of access – a major source of conflict at local and regional levels.

4. •Pakistan is a water stressed country – around 1000 cubic meters per capita per annum – optimum figure is 5000 cubic meters.
•Urban water supply is a sub-sector in need of attention – anomalous expansion of population, changing settlement patterns, uneven densification and gaps between supply and demand are few.

5. 2. APPRAISAL Core matters – Karachi can be taken as a case example.
•Drinking water has various meanings and perceptions for different groups –
•Affluent – Premium brands of mineral water.
•Middle Income – Wider range of bottled water, boiled water or filtered water.
•Low Income – Tap water

6. •Supply – demand gap exists – however it needs review – domestic and other consumption standards based on actual field research across diverse cross sections of the society need to be periodically examined.
•Massive water leakages all across the city – Aging infrastructure and unprecedented physical development two main reasons.

7. •Water theft is an organized enterprise – a former Managing Director informed that 35 percent is lost.
•Spread of suction devices has created a technological distortion in the system of supply – even the legitimate consumers are compelled to use it.
•Retail distribution is not managed according to any transparent mechanism – area notables and valvemen can tamper with the system in connivance with each other.

8. •KWSB – the principal utility agency – is an indebted body. It owes more than 57 billion rupees to international donors through the GoP. It was targeted for privatization in 1995-96 for the same reason.
•Tanker operations are no longer an emergency service – it is a commercial enterprise – it accounts for over 14 percent of supply – it has enormous potential to expand -

9. •Physical information and up-to-date survey is absent – It causes several problems in respect to accurate estimation and forward planning – scarcity mapping, an effective tool, is not applied in the routines of management.
•Willingness of consumers to pay for the service has to be established – only nine percent of consumers pay their bills.

10. •Disconnect between consumers and utility exist – inability to respond to complaints, adhocism in functioning and poorly organized consumer relations are some aspects.
•Human resource in the utility is a chronic issue at all levels – engineers, technicians, valvemen, and administrative cadres all suffer from inadequate manpower.
•Institutional defaulters are a large category. Many bulk consumers in the public and private sector have large bills to settle -

11. Access to safe drinking water in Pakistan available 60% population Urban – 85% Rural – 47% Source: PCSIR, 2007 One questions veracity of these figures after recent floods and overall environmental degradation.

12. Over 40% deaths in urban areas are caused by drinking contaminated water. Some common ailments include blue baby syndrome among new born babies and infants; skeletal fluorosis; mottled teeth and premature aging. Diseases due to bacterial contents are also common.

13. Some common examples of drinking water supply
Raw water from rivers / lakes / ground water resources
Filtration process Aeration / Chlorination ...............
Bulk Syphons
Pumping Stations
Neighbour- hood level distribution
Underground / overhead tank of houses
Taps of Consumers
Advantages:
• Dedicated filtration / purification
• defined path of conveyance
Disadvantages:
• Uncertainty around home storage, neighbourhood lines, bulk links ......
• Affected by thefts and leakages.
• ‘RoW’ traversed by sewerage lines and other hazardous overlaps
CASE-A

14. Ground water sources / tube wells
Filtration / aeration / forms of purification
Supply through pumping or gravity flow
Neighbourhood level distribution
Underground / overhead tank of house
Taps of Consumers
Advantages:
• Adequate quantities in situation of optimum rain / snow fall.
• Defined path of conveyance.
• Dedicated filtration / purification.
Disadvantages:
• Quality may be difficult to maintain due to aging infrastructure, absence of periodic cleaning of storage ......
• RoW traversed by sewerage lines and other hazardous overlaps.
CASE-B

15. Ground water / any designated or random water source
Reverse Osmosis Plant for purification
Ultra violet treatment (for bacterial content)
Testing
Consumption
Advantages:
• Probably the best quality of water available.
• Assortment of brand choices.
• Easy availability.
Disadvantages:
• Very high cost.
• Unregulated market – consumers may be deceived.
• Prone to adulteration and fake branding.
CASE-C
Bottling
Supply to market

16. Designated hydrants
Tankers
Underground / overhead tank
Consumers
Advantages:
• Flexible mode of supply.
• Consumer driven choices and adjustments.
• Facilitates distant locations also.
Disadvantages:
• Very expensive.
• Questionable quality,
• Damages road infrastructure.
• Issues in monopoly and conflict with local administration.
CASE-D
Supply to market

17. Water obtained through pumps
and transported through carts
Illegal water vending from the source of Metroville
SOME IMAGES

18. View of Tank no. 13: A young girl filling water
Orangi Town: Area residents moving out to obtain
water from Awami Tanks.

19. 3. CHALLENGES
•Status of water supply – essential service or commercial enterprise.
•Management of debt port folio of the utility.
•Laissez faire operations of commercial stakeholders.
•Perceptions of consumers pertinent to water charges – is water a tradable commodity or public good?

20. •Amorphous institutional structure of the utility.
•Tariff structure and defaulters.
•Transforming the utility as an attractive place of employment for competent professionals and staff.

21. 4. WAY FORWARD
•A regulatory body for potable water supply.
•Rationalizing the financial structure of the utility.
•Appropriate consumer relations and awareness to scale up recovery of bills.
•A master plan for revitalization of service based upon scientific planning and management.