Parts of Karachi may face water supply disruption after Dhabeji power outage

• Power cut to third phase, fourth phase and K-III pump house.
• K-Electric attributes outage to a cable fault in its system.
• KWSC in contact with KE for early restoration: spokesperson.

A major power breakdown at Dhabeji pumping station left multiple pumps inactive on Sunday, with the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) warning that Karachi’s water supply could be partially affected.

A spokesperson for the KWSC said that power supply to different phases of Dhabeji was suspended at 6am, while K-Electric attributed the outage to a cable fault in its system.

The breakdown cut electricity to Dhabeji’s third phase, fourth phase and K-III pump house, according to the spokesperson.

The spokesperson said that 10 of the 21 pumps became non-operational following the power outage.

The Dhabeji pumping station, the port city’s main water supply facility, relies heavily on stable power, with even short outages causing instant supply disruptions.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson said that the KWSC was “in continuous contact with the K-Electric administration” for the early restoration of electricity.

The spokesperson said that the affected 10 pumps would be activated immediately once electricity was restored.

“Water supply in the affected areas will be restored to normal immediately after electricity is restored,” the spokesperson added.

A K-Electric spokesperson attributed the damage to KWSC cables to a fire that broke out in nearby bushes.

According to the spokesperson, a K-Electric technical team was present at the location where the cables caught fire, saying the utility was in continuous contact with the water corporation to ensure the early restoration of electricity supply.

Last month, the Sindh government approved a 7.05% increase in the KWSC’s water and sewerage charges for 2026-27, with the revised tariff effective retrospectively from July 1, 2026.

The increase marked the second major hike in KWSC charges in two years. In September 2024, the corporation raised its monthly charges by around 23%, according to The News.

The increase came as Karachi continues to face challenges related to water availability, sewerage infrastructure and the maintenance of ageing civic systems.

At the time, the water corporation linked the tariff revision to efforts to improve service delivery and ensure the long-term financial sustainability of water and sewerage operations in the port city.