Ch. Altaf Shahid Sidhu
Pakistan’s largest city and economic hub has long been suffering from acute water shortages, despite being located on the seashore. The city’s population has crossed 20 million and water demand far exceeds supply. The Pakistan People’s Party, which has ruled Sindh for more than a decade, has failed to find a lasting solution to the crisis. On the other hand, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has repeatedly raised the issue with the central government. An effective solution to Karachi’s water problem could be to set up a large-scale desalination plant to purify seawater and make it drinkable.
Karachi requires about 1.1 billion gallons of water per day, but less than half of that is currently being supplied to the city. The main factors behind the water shortage include poor management, old and dilapidated infrastructure, illegal connections, and reliance on inadequate sources such as the Indus River and the Hub Dam. These conditions have put citizens in dire straits, who either have to buy expensive tanker water or stand in long queues at community points.
Desalination, the process of removing salt and other contaminants from seawater to make it drinkable, is being used successfully in many arid and water-scarce countries of the world. Countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, and Australia have largely solved their water problems through this technology. In particular, the “Sorek Desalination Plant” in Israel meets 20 percent of the country’s water needs, while Dubai relies on desalination for 98 percent of its drinking water needs.
Establishing a modern desalination plant in Karachi could not only provide a permanent solution to the water shortage but also boost the city’s economic activities. The cost of a project would be around $1.5 to $2 billion, which could provide 500 million gallons of water per day. The plant could be based on reverse osmosis (RO) technology, which is effective and relatively inexpensive in removing salt and pollutants.
The project could be completed through federal and provincial government funds, public-private partnerships, and financial assistance from international institutions such as the World Bank or the Asian Development Bank. The project could be completed efficiently by hiring international companies.
Desalination of seawater would enable a consistent and reliable supply of water to the citizens of Karachi. In addition, it would lead to industrial development, improved public health, and increased overall productivity. It is essential to adopt modern techniques to minimize the environmental impact of the project, such as properly managing brine discharge and using renewable energy.
The establishment of a desalination plant is the need of the hour for the survival and development of Karachi. The government should prioritize this project to provide a lasting solution to the water crisis and set an example for other water-scarce areas of Pakistan.