HE Sindh chief minister, while reflecting on Karachi’s water woes, recently observed that water supply is only part of the problem. ‘Saving water through better canal management and lining works is as important as developing new water infrastructure,’ he remarked at a meeting held to review measures for improving Karachi’s water supply. Those are wise words. But while the chief minister was referring to the canals and conduits that bring water to Karachi, the authorities must pay equal attention to what happens to it once it reaches the city. After all, the city’s ageing distribution network is a major source of wastage. Old lines frequently rupture, either from lack of upkeep or during poorly planned development work, leaking water for days before repairs are made. Here, too, the authorities must be vigilant. Mapping the network, replacing the worst-affected pipes and holding contractors accountable for the damage they cause would save more water than many new schemes.
Plugging water losses requires public education and participation alongside the planned technical interventions to line canals and feeders. That means awareness campaigns, metering, and pricing that reward conservation, as well as incentives for farmers to switch from flood irrigation to more efficient methods. Water can no longer be taken for granted in a country where population growth is already straining supply. Sindh’s agriculturalists have repeatedly raised the alarm about how water shortages are hurting farm output and deepening rural poverty. In Karachi, many neighbourhoods receive no piped water at all, forcing residents either to buy from the so-called tanker mafia or to queue for hours at public taps to fill containers. So while the state must ensure that the canals, feeders, and reservoirs it manages stop leaking, those with reliable access politically connected farmers and welloff urban households alike should agree to use it far more thoughtfully than they do now. Only then can we set out on a path to true sustainability.