Term Report

Business Communication

MOHAMMAD ALI JINNAH UNIVERSITY

Rahil Roshan Ali (FA18-MBAP-0066)

Naeem Zahoor (FA18-MBAP-0052)

Muhammad Hassan khan (FA18-MBAP-0116)

Asif Rehman (FA18-MBAP-0018)

 FALL 2018

Submitted to

SIR ISHTIAQ AHMED KOLACHI

We all team members are very thankful to our Lecturer

We are thankful to
Mohammad Ali Jinnah University
For providing us the platform to re-invent ourselves

TOPIC: CURRENT WATER CRISIS IN KARACHI

(Sources, Problems & Recommendations)
 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
January 6, 2019

Mr. Ishtiaq Ahmad Kolachi,

Assistant Lecturer,

MAJU

Dear Sir Ishtiaq,

The research is collected about the water crisis of Karachi. Study identifies the sources, Issues and
recommendations for solving the water crisis issues of Karachi specifically.

In conducting this study, We used secondary methods of data collection. I also worked towards exploring
the insights of target audience and that was not a very difficult task because we our self, to some extent,
lie in the category of primary target audience.

If you need any further assistance in interpreting this report, I am gladly available at any time

Thank You,

Rahil Roshan Ali,

Naeem Zahoor,
Mohammad Hassan Khan,
Asif Rehman,
Zobia Alam.
Contents
INTRODUCTION: ............................................................................................................................................ 5

Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB : ............................................................................................... 6

Water Sources of Karachi:............................................................................................................................. 7

WATER SUPPLY SCENARIO: ........................................................................................................................... 7

Water Problems of Karachi : ......................................................................................................................... 8

1. Sewerage Problem: ........................................................................................................................... 8

Problem of Water Management: .............................................................................................................. 9

Bacteriological Contaminations and Drinking Water Quality : ................................................................. 9

Suggestions of Water Problems: ............................................................................................................. 10

Solution for Sewerage Problems: ........................................................................................................... 10

B) Solution of Water Management Issue: .............................................................................................. 11

Conclusion: .................................................................................................................................................. 12

References: ................................................................................................................................................. 13
INTRODUCTION:
"And among His signs is that He shows you the lightening, for fear and for hope, and He sends down
water (rain) from the sky, and therewith revives the earth after its death. Verily, in that are indeed signs
for a people who understand."
Al Qur'an (Surah Ar-Rum, Verse 24)

Water is a fundamental basic need and an essential resource for economic activities with strong
cultural and symbolic values for millions of people especially in developing countries. A domestic
water supply is universally acknowledged as not only a basic right but a key development
indicator. One third of the world’s population is currently experiencing some kind of physical or
economic water scarcity. A growing competition for water from different sectors, including
industry, agriculture, power generation ,domestic use, and the environment, is making it difficult
for people to access this scarce resource for productive, consumptive and social uses. In water
scarce regions and countries, inequity in access to water resources is increasing because of
competition for limited resources, and this particularly affects poor rural people.

Although large scale water resources development has been taking place in the world, but until
vast majority of people shall do not have enough potable water for drinking and canal water for
irrigation. According to researchers water supply consists of making water available for
agricultural urban use. Agricultural uses include irrigation, watering and farm household use. By
law of supply and demand, water will be inexpensive when it is abundant and expensive when it
is scarce (Adebayo A. 2007). The distribution of water supply for drinking purpose is quite
appalling in modern times. Mean time the downstream people are not suitably protected against
flood or disaster hits due to the improper management. Irrigation is the main stay of Pakistan’s
economy, around 90% of total agriculture output of the country is totally dependent on irrigation.
It is clear that water resources have played very important role in the development of land and
water storage system. More than half of world’s population lives in developing countries and the
poorest of these communities depend heavily on exploitation of local water resources for their
livelihood.

Water plays a very important role in Agriculture Sector of Pakistan. At the time of independence
Pakistan was primarily agriculture based country. But as time progressed Pakistan turned into
more diversified country as industrialization took hold. But development of industries had not
eliminated the existence of agriculture in Pakistan although the share of agriculture had
decreased significantly since its birth. The role of agriculture in the economic development of
Pakistan cannot be denied and Pakistan is still characterized as an agricultural country (Sarvesh
Chauhan 2013). Agricultural sector of Pakistan has made significant contribution to its GDP.
When the GDP of a country grows, economic development takes place. The agriculture actually
accounts the major portion of the total economy of Pakistan with 21% contribution to GDP and
more than 45% contribution in labor force. It is also the major source of foreign exchange
incomes in Pakistan. The export of rice, cotton, cotton based products etc. bring about 65% of
our total earnings. The imports help in vital inputs for development i.e. import of equipment,
capital machinery, and technical know-how etc. Agriculture is one of the main cause of
employment in Pakistan, more than the half of the population of Pakistan lives in rural areas. In
the development report of World Bank (2010) 63% lived in rural areas of the total population. In
Pakistan 70% of the population depends directly upon agriculture and is their main resource for
livelihood as food and fiber is the basic need of the country. Improvement in agriculture
productivity is must for food security at present from 80 Mha geographical Area, 29.6 Mha is
suitable for agriculture and from that 13.3 Mha is canal irrigated and 3.5 is rain fed. Agriculture
acts as an industry and it is gaining recognition for its importance in combating wide spread rural
poverty and acts as stabilizing factor in the national economy. It is clear from the above facts that
it becomes indispensable to manage water resources and agriculture properly.

Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB :

KWSB is responsible for production, transmission and distribution of portable water to the
citizens of Karachi. The KWSB is responsible for delivering water to many societies in Karachi on
a weekly basis through an underground water pipeline system. KWSB has a water tanker ordering
app on Google Play called KWSB Online Tanker System which has an overall rating of 3.3 out of
5.0 as of 22 September, 2018.

Because of scarcity of water supply through pipelines, dependency of the Consumer in major
cities is increasing on Water Tanker Services. Thus there is the need of automated tanker
management system. KWSB Online Tanker System (OTS) addresses this need. OTS is a technology
Platform designed and developed by MSCL. This Smartphone App is part of OTS. It connects water
tanker consumer and hydrant staff through OTS. KWSB OTS app facilitates Consumers to register
a Request for Water Tanker, calculates estimated distance for transportation charges through
Google map and forwards Request to concerned Hydrant. Consumer is informed about its
request through SMS including Tanker charges, Tanker’s Driver contact and closure of the
Request.
Water Sources of Karachi:
There are two sources of water supply in Karachi,

i) River Indus supplies 1200 cusecs daily equal to 645 MGD.

ii) Hub dam supplies about 50 MGD. The Hub dam supply is rain fed so it fluctuates between
about 30- 75 MGD. The total water supply to Karachi is 695 MGD.

WATER SUPPLY SCENARIO:

1) The per capita water demand @ 54 GPCD for population 20 Million is estimated as 1080
MDG.

2) The current short fall is anticipated as 430 MGD.

3) First Phase of K-IV Project may take up to 2 years to complete.

4) By the year 2020, projected population of Karachi will be 30 Million and @ 54 gallons
per capita per day, the demand of water shall be 1620 MGD.

5) By the year 2020 there will be a short fall of 600 MGD (2700 ml/day) water.

6) 100 MGD (450 ml/day) additional water is required after every 5 years to bridge the gap
of demand and supply.
Water Problems of Karachi :
Karachi is a place where land meets the sea. The city has acquired an important position in the
socio-economic and political landscape of the country since the early days of Pakistan. It is also
referred to as a mosaic of ethnicities, cultures, arts and history and generates over 25 per cent
of the total gross domestic product (GDP) of Pakistan. The city has a population of 15 million and
can certainly be referred to as the most densely packed metropolis in the country. It has
numerous socio-economic and environmental challenges, however the top most, in our opinion,
is water shortage.

1. Sewerage Problem:
Karachi is the world’s sixth largest city with a population of about 22 million. But this city is still
devoid of basic facilities such as a decent transport system, clean water facilities and an efficient
sewage treatment system. Everyday tons of untreated sewage enter the Arabian Sea from
Karachi which has become a huge threat for not only marine life but also for the local
communities.

About 450 MGD (millions of gallons per day) of waste is produced in the city. This waste includes
effluents from industries, hospitals, houses and businesses. Although there are three sewage
treatment plants in the city but they are all non-functional since past five or six years now. These
three plants lie at different locations on the Lyari River. The Karachi Water Supply Board reports
that even when the plants were functional, they were only able to treat 151 MGD of sewage out
of 450 MGD. The reason of this discrepancy was the lack of proper conveyance system to transfer
the sewage to the sewage treatment plants.

The lack of a proper sewage disposal and treatment system is turning into an environmental and
health disaster. Moreover, this is a threat to marine life where as this water enters the sea and
disrupts marine ecosystem. Also there are certain communities that are totally dependent on
this stream who are at most risk. An article published by the Washington post reports that the
people belonging to the villages near the harbor are suffering from various aliments including
stomach pain, respiratory, eye and skin problems. The fishermen are more vulnerable as they
have to travel every day to the sea to gather fish and it seems that they are exposed to the
chemicals that are also polluting and damaging the marine life.

A study conducted by a WWF senior official showed that the level of biological oxygen demand
(BOD) at the sea view beach has exceeded the limit to about 500-900 milligrams per liter. The
BOD shouldn’t be more than 80 mg per liter. The increase in BOD results in the lowering of oxygen
which is very harmful for marine life as they are unable to survive under such conditions. Samples
of water collected from the sea view beach also contained disease causing bacteria including
coliform and enteric bacteria. These bacteria can also cause infection in the people visiting the
beach.

Problem of Water Management:

In Karachi there are certain pockets which are over populated than adjacent colonies. To manage
water supply to such a large population, all put together at one place, is a gigantic task which
needs enormous resources and superior management and administration. Their maintenance is
even difficult through heavy traffic and population, especially in narrow streets and apartments.

Secondly, we do not have distinction between drinking water and the water required for
gardening / vegetation. Water supply system is the same from where consumers take water for
drinking, bathing / washing as well as for gardening etcetera. Whereas water requirements of
both the categories are different, but our supply system is the same. In this way, we waste
precious drinkable water for washing and vegetation etcetera.

Further more to the wastage of fresh drinkable water, we do not have the accountability mechanism of
water consumption. With negligible water tax, our consumer has unlimited supply of water at his disposal
according to his status / approach to the concerned departments. In the same colony / street, one may
find people without water even for drinking purpose and certain privileged ones having overflowing water
in excess to their lawns and gardens.

Bacteriological Contaminations and Drinking

Water Quality :
Arsenic Toxicity Investigations revealed the presence of excessive arsenic in many cities of
Karachi was found to be 50 ppb five times higher than the prescribed limit of 10 ppb by WHO.
Detailed data analysis has identified 4 major water quality tribulations in drinking water sources
of Karachi i.e. bacteriological (68%), arsenic (24%), nitrate (13%) and fluoride (5%). The five
years’ trend analysis has revealed that out of a total 357, only 45 water sources (13%) were
found “Safe” and the remaining 312 (87%) were “Unsafe” for drinking purpose.

On the behalf of PCRWR survey published in 2012, 88% of the functional water supply schemes
in Karachi provide water that is unsafe for drinking because of microbiological contamination.
According to an official government document increased arsenic, nitrate and fluoride
contamination was detected in drinking water in various localities in Karachi. A survey of drinking
water samples in Karachi in 2007/08 found that, of 216 ground and surface water samples
collected, 86% had lead levels higher than the WHO maximum acceptable concentration of 10
parts per billion (ppb). This mean lead concentration was 146 ppb in untreated ground water and
77 ppb in treated tap water. Newspapers reported that a citizen of Karachi submitted a court
petition asking the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) to fulfill its duty to provide clean
water. In October 2012, the Sindh High Court issued a notice to the Board asking it to comment
on the petition.

Suggestions of Water Problems:

Karachi has become unmanageable under the management cum administration of a district. Since at
this stage it is not possible to undo its varied size, we need to do two things. Firstly stop its further
growth and organize the existing population to make it manageable. Secondly divide the city into
distinct manageable units which should be autonomous and accountable for the availability of essential
services of water.

Solution for Sewerage Problems:

To tackle the issue of sewage treatment in the city, the KWSB devised the Greater Karachi
Sewerage Plan also called as S-iii in 2007, funded by Sindh and Federal Government.
Although planned in 2007, the project is still not completed due to many reasons. One of
the main reason is release of funds from both the Federal and Sindh government. The
project aims to improve the sanitation conditions of Karachi by the formation of an
integrated system for sewage collection, disposal and treatment (Space, 2018).

Overall the project will increase the capacity of sewage treatment from 151 MGD to 500
MGD. Apart from the upgradation of the capacity of the existing plants from 151 MGD to
300 MGD, the project includes the construction of new 200 MGD treatment plant at
Korangi, construction of Trunk Sewer at Malir and Lyari and a pipe sewer which will be
laid up to the Lyari – Malir Trunk Sewer. (KWSB)

In order to solve Karachi’s garbage and sewage issue, the presence of an integrated
treatment system should be there in place. The well – being of people depends on a
cleaner environment and for that proper sanitation, and sewage disposal and treatment
are of utmost importance.
B) Solution of Water Management Issue:
Management of water should be devolved to the level of district government /
administration under self-sustenance mechanism. We would need to get out of the
mindset of free water supply. It should be a community based transparent water supply
system where one has to pay for the quantity of water he desires to consume. The culture
of free supply of water even to the government departments should be stopped
forthwith. Rather all government offices be authorized certain scales for which the money
should actually be paid to the Districts' Domestic and Industrial Water Management
Authority (DD&IWMA). The system would work effectively only when there is no
discretion and no free supply of water.

DD&IWMA would offer two types of connections to the consumer i.e. one, water
connection for drinking, cooking, bathing, washing and second for gardening, vegetation,
cleaning the toilets etcetera. Both the water supply connections would have different
rates for payment of water service charges. The consumer would be billed at the end of
every month according to his usage of water.

At the same time, we would need to improve the water supply system including repair of
the water supply lines to reduce wastage. Improvement of services through an efficient
management mechanism would encourage the consumers to pay for water services.

Mass Public Awareness about Water

C)

Management :
Mass Public Awareness about Water Management is essentially required to take the
people along with the campaign at the government levels. The most effective instruments
are television and radio for the general - comparatively less educated population and print
medium focusing on the educated segment of the society. Awareness and motivation at
 the national level is one aspect of the issue, the other segment of the campaign is equally
important and that pertains to making the masses realize through their contribution /
payment for the services, they avail / utilize. What has been observed in our mass public
perception is that they become careful when they know that whatever one consumes, he
would require paying for that, may it be a very small amount. Mere motivation does not
work as free services do not convey severity of the issue.

D) Creating a Self-Sustaining Water Sector:

Creating a Self-Sustaining Water Sector is need of the hour. Water is an important natural
commodity and unfortunately in Pakistan, it does not have its own resources to make any
development. If we look at its consumption (i.e. relationship of demand of supply) we find
that it is the most essential commodity. We need a water sector development strategy
(WSDS) over a longer period of time - a "Water Vision", which needs resources. We would
require creating a broad based water sector at all tiers of the government machinery and
making it economically viable and sustainable. For that purpose, there is a need to
undertake constitutional reforms. We need water management mechanism as a joint
venture of public and private sectors at the federal, provincial and district government
levels, some of them have been explained in the earlier parts of this paper.

Conclusion:
We need efficient and integrated management of water in view of its increasing demands
vis-a-vis depleting reserves. God has created this commodity according to the
requirements of mankind. However, without management, it is not sustainable. Our
religion, Islam also teaches preserving this essential natural commodity. The Holy Prophet
Muhammad (Peace be upon him) prohibited misuse of water even while making ablution
for prayers, saying that the one who exceeds repetition of washing hands and feet more
than three times is the one who exceeds the limits which is bad and not liked.
References:
a) http://www.kwsb.gos.pk/View.aspx?Page=18
b) http://envjournalists.com/index.php/2018/09/06/sewage-
problem-of-karachi/
c) https://pakobserver.net/water-shortage-in-karachi/
d) https://pakobserver.net/water-crisis-in-karachi-2/

03105549053 Sher Ghazi 80 Yr

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