water supply issues in karachi – appraisal and way forward
TRANSCRIPT
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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
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OUTLINE 1. Background
2. Appraisal
3. Challenges
4. Way Forward
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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.
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• 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.
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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
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• 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.
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• 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.
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• 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 -
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• 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.
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• 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 -
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Water obtained through pumps
and transported through carts
Illegal water vending from the source of Metroville
SOME IMAGES
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View of Tank no. 13: A young girl filling water
Orangi Town: Area residents moving out to obtain
water from Awami Tanks.
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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?
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• Amorphous institutional structure of the utility.
• Tariff structure and defaulters. • Transforming the utility as an attractive
place of employment for competent professionals and staff.
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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.