The Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) has issued a public tender for the procurement of critical chemicals for its 1.2-million-gallon-per-day (MGD) desalination plant as part of efforts to ensure uninterrupted operations of the facility, a cornerstone of the city’s drinking water system. Bids for the chemicals will be accepted through 11 a.m. on Jan. 5, with submissions scheduled to be opened at 11:30 a.m. the same day, as per the notice, Gwadar Pro reported.

Developed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the desalination plant has emerged as a backbone of Gwadar’s water supply, particularly after its restoration to full operation in 2025 helped stabilize supplies during last year’s prolonged dry spell. The Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) has designated the facility as a permanent component of the city’s daily water-supply network and a key safeguard against shortages during periods of low rainfall.

The plant has maintained steady production since it was fully operationalised last year, as reflected in recent output figures, including 915,000 gallons on Jan. 1; 535,000 gallons on Jan. 2; and 1.069 million gallons on Dec. 31. The plant was completed and inaugurated on December 4, 2023, following a project implementation agreement signed on July 5, 2021, according to the official CPEC website.

The site says the project, built with Chinese support, cost $12.7 million to deliver up to 1.2 million gallons of potable water daily to Gwadar city and port, easing pressure on dam storage and tanker-supplied sources. A recent GDA report on water management noted that the reverse-osmosis facility has played a “backbone-like role” in providing drinking water to old Gwadar town and boosting the city’s resilience against recurring shortages linked to climate-driven dry spells.

In a parallel government push to secure reliable power for the facility and other critical infrastructure, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsan Iqbal on December 4 ordered the fast-track implementation of solarisation for Gwadar’s desalination plant and pumping stations, along with 132 kV grid-stability upgrades, to tackle the port city’s longstanding electricity and water shortages.

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