By Ayesha Saba ISLAMABAD, June 16 (INP-WealthPK): The population of Sindh province is continuously growing and there has been a mass migration to the cities and towns, specifically in the capital city of Karachi. Population expansion, urbanization, the mining sector, and industrialization are increasing pressure on the limited water supply schemes. The growing supply-demand imbalance has resulted in shortages and unhealthy competition among end-users, as well as serious environmental issues. Ghazala Channar, Deputy Chief Engineer in the Water Resource Section under the Ministry of Planning, said while talking to WealthPK that more than 95% of water sources and distribution systems in Karachi are polluted with low-quality water that is unfit for human consumption. Furthermore, not all of the water reaches the people of Karachi. “More than 42% water is lost or stolen. Some water is also wasted due to a lack of appropriate infrastructure and modern pumping machinery, which has hampered water distribution and delivery to communities,” she added. Keeping in view the growing need for clean drinking water, the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) has awarded three contracts worth Rs98.5 billion for the construction of Phase I of the Greater Karachi Water Supply Scheme, also known as K-IV, to supply 260 million gallons per day (MGD) water to the port city. The three contracts include: Contract Package K-IV PL-I worth Rs52.71 billion for pressurized water transmission; Contract Package K-IV PL-II worth Rs28.846 billion for pressurized water transmission; and Contract Package K-IV PS worth Rs17.40 billion for engineering procurement and construction (EPC), and turnkey contract of pumping station (civil, electrical and mechanical works). The project would be constructed through eight packages, of which five have been awarded, while the remaining three would also be awarded by the end of June. Phase-I of the K-IV project will be constructed in Thatta district and Karachi’s Malir and West districts in Sindh province, with approved PC-I of Rs126.5 billion, envisaging a supply of 260MGD water to Karachi. The construction of the project would commence in the first week of July. The Phase-I of K-IV is scheduled to be completed in October 2023. “Once the new water supply project in Karachi is completed, it will provide clean drinking water to around 1.2 million people,” Ghazala said. The K-IV project aims to meet the growing water demand of Karachi and to provide a dependable and sustainable water transmission system from its more than 100km away source of Keenjhar Lake to three reservoirs around the city.