KWSC completes Hub Canal project to improve distribution efficiency and limit losses; The CEO manages the day-to-day operations
Water supply. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI:
Water supply to parts of Karachi’s District West and Keamari was restored on Wednesday following the installation of a new check gate on the Hub Canal Reservoir canal.
“The project marks a step towards strengthening and modernizing the city’s water distribution system,” said a press release from the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) spokesperson. The development work was carried out on the directives of KWSC Managing Director Ahmed Ali Siddiqui.
The press release added that teams were working continuously to ensure the project was completed on time and with minimal disruption to residents. It said the timely completion reflected the technical expertise and coordination of field teams, engineers and support staff involved in the project.
Read: KWSC claims big gains despite challenges
The newly installed control gate is expected to improve the regulation and safety of water flows from the Hub Pumping Station. The press release noted that the upgrade would lead to noticeable improvements in water transmission for District West and Keamari, while helping to curb water loss.
It added that the project would contribute to long-term water supply stability and strengthen Karachi’s wider water infrastructure. Similar development initiatives aimed at improving basic citizen services will continue in the future, the press release added.
Siddiqui and KWSC Chief Operating Officer Engineer Asadullah Khan also noted that the primary objective of the project was to increase efficiency and equity in water distribution across different parts of the city.
Karachi has been caught in a water crisis for nearly twenty years, but the long-awaited K-IV mega water supply project remains incomplete due to delays, funding constraints and lack of coordination between the federal and Sindh governments.
Read more: Two decades later, Karachi is still waiting for K-IV water supply
The project, which promises an additional 260 million gallons of water per day to Karachi, has four main components. Three are currently under construction, while work on the fourth has not begun. Although 2027 has been set as the latest deadline for water to reach Karachi’s households, internal assessments suggest that completion could slip to 2030 without any urgency on the part of either government.
Despite chronic water and sanitation challenges that continued to plague the country’s financial center through 2025, KWSC claimed several achievements during 2025.
On 31 December, a one-year performance report was released, listing achievements including the rehabilitation of the old Hub Canal after several decades, significant progress on the mega-project of the new Hub Canal and the installation of additional pumps at key pumping stations.
