Balochistan government has approved Rs 28 billion for a major water supply project aimed at addressing potable water shortages in Gwadar. Chief Minister of Balochistan has earmarked the funds for the project, which is expected to ease the city’s long-standing water scarcity and related public hardships.

Under the plan, a 160-kilometre pipeline will be constructed to transport water from Mirani Dam in Turbat to Gwadar city and its surrounding sub-districts. According to a Gwadar Pro's report, the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) has been assigned to implement the project. The pipeline network is scheduled for completion within one year.

Once completed, the project is expected to provide a permanent solution to Gwadar’s water woes. Mirani Dam, the second-largest dam in Balochistan, has a storage capacity of 302,000 acre-feet. Meanwhile, the Secretary for Water has also approved an annual budget of Rs 150 million for the operation and maintenance of the China-aided 1.2 MGD desalination plant.

The plant is currently operating at optimal capacity and is supplying a significant amount of water to the city. Gwadar is facing an acute water crisis as the region enters its second consecutive year without meaningful rainfall. Local reservoirs, including the Ankara and Sawad dams, have nearly dried up.

The Shadi Kaur Dam pipeline, which was reactivated in September, has yet to reach full capacity and is currently supplying only limited water to the city.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China