Karachi hit by severe water shortfall after major breakdown at Dhabeji Pumping Station
Pakistan
A major breakdown at Karachi’s Dhabeji Pumping Station disrupted operations, causing a severe water shortfall and worsening the city’s ongoing supply crisis.
KARACHI (Dunya News) – A major K-Electric breakdown has occurred again in the second phase of the Dhabeji pumping station.
According to the Water Corporation spokesperson, the breakdown was reported at 6:35 AM today, after which two pumps in the second phase of the station shut down. Due to the power outage, Line No. 5 has been affected, and Karachi may face a shortage of nearly 100 million gallons of water.
The spokesperson added that repair work on the affected line has begun on an emergency basis, and the administration is making every effort to complete the repairs as soon as possible.
He said that once the repairs are completed, the Dhabeji pumping station system will be fully restored to normal.
It is noteworthy that earlier, on November 5, the K-3 pump house remained shut for 36 hours due to a cable fault, causing severe water shortages across the city.
The Dhabeji Pumping Station — Karachi’s main water intake facility — relies heavily on uninterrupted electricity, and even brief outages trigger immediate supply disruptions.
For the past decade, the station has suffered from poor maintenance and recurring technical faults, with several breakdowns reported this year alone, leaving many neighbourhoods facing a persistent water crisis.
In January, Karachi experienced a 100MGD shortfall after two major water pipelines burst during a power outage at Dhabeji. The facility also remained without electricity for at least three days in late June, resulting in a massive 350MGD shortage.
