People surround Nagin Chowrangi tap during a protest against water shortage. Photo: PPI
KARACHI:
Residents of north Karachi stormed the Nagan Chowrangi pumping station in the early hours of Sunday in protest against an acute water shortage that has persisted for weeks.
A large number of women were part of the demonstration where protesters exchanged harsh words with Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) staff. Some irate residents reportedly tried to tackle the staff as tempers flared.
Protesters said that despite repeated assurances, KWSC had failed to restore water supply to their homes for more than a month. Many women complained that purchasing water tankers had become unaffordable and unsustainable for households already under financial pressure.
Chanting “Pani do, pani do” (give us water), the crowd demanded immediate restoration of supplies. Police from Taimuria station arrived at the spot after receiving reports of the disturbances and held talks with the protesters. The protest was called off after successful talks and the crowd dispersed peacefully.
Drawing fault lines
The water and electricity utilities blame each other for the interruptions in the water supply in the city.
Following the K-Electric spokesperson’s statement that power supply to water pumping stations is normal, the KWSC spokesperson blamed the power outages on pipeline breaks and supply disruptions. However, the KE spokesman put the blame on leaky pipes that drip water onto power cables, causing short circuits and blackouts at pumping stations.
The Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) reported on Sunday that prolonged power outages at major pumping stations led to a shortage of 884 million gallons of water across the city during November 2025.
According to a KWSC spokesperson, repeated power outages caused by K-Electric have severely disrupted pump operations during the month. The Dhabeji pumping station was the worst affected, suffering 132 hours and 20 minutes of power outage, resulting in a deficit of 424 million gallons.
Similarly, 146 hours of outage at the Dumlottee station led to a loss of 111 million gallons, while the North East Karachi station recorded a deficit of 335 million gallons. The Hub and Pipri stations each reported a shortfall of 6 million gallons and the Gharo station faced a shortfall of 2 million gallons.
Officials said continuous power outages brought operations at central pumping stations to a standstill for several hours, affecting water supply across Karachi. They urged K-Electric to ensure stable and uninterrupted power supply to key pumping stations and warned that repeated cable failures were damaging critical pumping machinery.
They stressed the need for alternative feeders, standby cables and urgent technical upgrades to protect the city’s water supply system from future disruptions.
The spokesperson added that KWSC maintains close coordination with K-Electric to ensure stable supply and that water distribution across the city returned to normal once power was restored. He said that all possible measures were being taken to further improve the system and ensure uninterrupted water supply to the residents.
KE asks KWSC to repair leaking pipes
The KE spokesperson stated that the electricity supply remains stable at all water pumping stations, but leakage from pipelines is hampering the repair work. He said electrical cable repairs cannot be carried out in stagnant water because of safety risks to staff. Water seeping from KWSC pipelines submerges underground power cables, damaging the infrastructure that supplies electricity to these stations. The spokesperson noted that the ongoing leak had been officially reported to authorities on November 10, following an earlier notification in June.
Fixing electrical cables in standing water is extremely challenging and time-consuming. He further explained that stagnant water leads to additional complications, such as the growth of bushes, which hinders testing and troubleshooting. Meanwhile, as the water and electricity utilities default, residents of the metropolis continue to endure water supply interruptions.
