Karachi Faces 54 MGD Water Shortage After Power Fault at NEK Pumping Station

The Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) has reported a significant water shortage of 54 million gallons per day (MGD) in the city following a disruption in electricity supply to the North East Karachi (NEK) Pumping Station.

According to KWSC, the outage occurred at 3:27am on May 31 due to a fault in the main cable of K-Electric, affecting operations at the K-II Pumping Station and partially disrupting water supply across multiple areas of Karachi.

The utility stated that it immediately contacted K-Electric, which dispatched technical teams to assess the issue. Officials from K-Electric confirmed that the disruption was caused by a fault in the main power cable supplying the pumping station.

As a temporary measure, electricity was partially restored at 5:50am through a backfeed arrangement from the K-III feeder. However, KWSC noted that the alternative power supply does not have sufficient capacity to fully restore pumping operations, resulting in reduced water distribution.

The corporation warned that the shortfall may impact water supply schedules in several parts of the city and urged K-Electric to carry out urgent and permanent repairs to resolve the issue. Authorities also cautioned that the situation could worsen if the fault is not fixed promptly.

The development comes a day after an emergency shutdown at the Dhabeji Pumping Station, which also disrupted water services in various localities.

Karachi has been facing a prolonged water crisis since late March due to a combination of factors, including pipeline leaks, transmission line bursts, and repeated power outages at key pumping stations. The ongoing shortage has forced many residents to rely on private water tankers, adding financial strain amid rising costs and limited supply.