KARACHI, May 16: City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal on Tuesday said that the city’s water problem had been solved for the next two years with the commissioning of K-III project whereby the city’s total water supply had increased from 540 to 640 million gallons of water per day, leaving a gap of mere 20mgd between supply and demand of the city.

The water supply position of the city would further improve shortly as the KWSB had already embarked upon another project, costing Rs2.8 billion, for saving 33 per cent of water which was either being wasted from leaking pipelines or stolen, he said. Besides, feasibility study of another 100mgd project (K-IV) was currently under way and the project would be launched in 2007 and completed in 2009, he added.

The nazim, who was accompanied by the KWSB Managing Director Brig Iftikhar Haider, was talking to newsmen during his detailed inspection of different components of the K-III project such as new pumping motors installed at Dhabeji pumping station and Hub pumping station which has been linked with Indus water. The KWSB’s Chief Engineer (Projects) Mashkoorul Hassan, Project Manager Mibahuddin Fareed, Chief Engineer (Electrical and Mechanical) Gulzar Memon and other senior officials of the KWSB were also present.

Expressing his gratitude to President Musharraf for evincing keen interest in the K-III project, he said that all credit for providing such a mega project to Karachiites went to him (president) as he not only ensured its regular funding from the federal government but also desired its completion on time.

He said that although the KWSB had to commission the project in April to overcome the water crisis of Hub hooked localities, it will be formally inaugurated by President Musharraf within a week.

Commending the KWSB Managing Director Brig Iftikhar Haider and his entire team associated with the K-III project, the nazim said that it was because of their efficiency, dedication and hard work that such a huge project was not only commissioned three months ahead of its schedule time but it was completed at a cost of Rs5.8 billion as against its estimated cost of Rs6.5 billion.

“In fact, it was the first mega project which was not only commissioned almost three months ahead of its schedule time but a huge amount of Rs0.75 billion was also saved,” Mr Kamal remarked, saying that all those who were associated with the K-III project deserve encouragement and benefits for accomplishing the task.

Replying to a question that Sindh governor had announced plots for all those who were associated with the K-III project, he said that he would definitely pursue the matter to ensure that the governor’s commitment with the officials was honoured.

Talking about the sprawling townships of Orangi, Baldia, SITE (both residential and industrial areas), Surjani, North Karachi and parts of Keamari Town, he said that all localities hooked to Hub dam source would never face any water shortage problem in the wake of drying of Hub dam as the K-III system had been linked with the Hub pumping station by laying 16.5km-long pipelines (10.5km 84-inch dia PRCC pipelines and 6km long MS pipelines) from Old North-East Karachi pumping station to Hub pumping station.

In reply to another question, he said that the defunct KDA’s Pipe Factory which was earlier being sold at a throw away prices had been turned into a profit-making organisation by the present leadership of the city government.

“All the 84-inch-dia pipelines which the KWSB has used for linking the K-III system with the Hub pumping station had been manufactured by the factory, besides it was now earning Rs100 million per month,” he said.