Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah approves $1.6 billion Karachi Water and Sewerage Improvement Programme

Karachi, October 07, 2019 (PPI-OT): Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has given a nod to launch $1.6 billion Karachi Water and Sewerage Improvement Programme (KWSSIP) to make water board, operationally, financially and institutionally viable. He took this decision while presiding over a meeting to launch a well-conceived water board’s improvement programme here at CM House. The meeting was attended by Minister Local Government Syed Nasir Shah, Chairperson PandD Nahid Shah, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Secretary Finance Hassan Naqvi, Chief PandD Naeem Zafar, DG KWSB Asadullah Khan, PD KWSSIP Ayoub Shaikh and other concerned officers.

The chief minister said that the World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank sponsored KWSSIP was being launched to raise KWandSB operational capacity to deliver all of its customers safe and reliable water service on sustainable and predictable basis. Through the project, an environment would be established for private sector investment in water supply and wastewater treatment.

The KWSSIP is a $1.6 billion project in which World Bank share is 40 percent and 40 percent funds will be provided by Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the provincial government will pay 20 percent. There are four components of four phases of the project. The component one is about reforms, second of securing sustainable water supply and sanitation and third component is about project management and studies.

The chief minister directed Minister Local Government to sign Commitment of Cooperation within next few days so that project could be started. He approved steering committee to monitor implementation of the project. The reform in KWSB includes overhauling HR policy and service rules, improving communication strategy, ensuring capacity building, budget, financial management, improvement in revenue collection and improving customers relations.

Phase-II: The cost of the phase-II is $685, said the chief minister and added it had 12 components. They are 100 MGD Bulk Water Supply Scheme from Haleji to Pipri, additional 50 MGD water supply through existing bulk system from Kijnhar Lake to Pipri. Remodelling of Haliji Conduit for supply of 30 MGD additional water to Karachi. Abstraction of 15 MGD additional water from Dumlottee well.

Rehabilitation of all 10 wastewater pumping stations, improvement of water supply and sewerage in low income communities (katchi abadies). The chief minister said that in the second phase, around 195 MGD additional water would be made available for the city. He said that he would try to start additional water supply schemes much before time so that maximum water could be made available to the city.

For more information, contact:
Press Secretary,
Chief Minister House, Sindh
Tel: +92-21-99202019(Ext: 336)
Website: www.cmsindh.gov.pk