Fielding one of Karachi’s largest water projects in over two decades, Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday inaugurated the newly built Hub Canal, completed at a cost of Rs12.8 billion in a record nine months.

According to Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) Chief Engineer Sikandar Ali Zardari, the new canal has a design life of 25 to 30 years.

Spanning 22.4 kilometres, it can carry up to 100 million gallons of water daily. The project will supply water to Karachi’s western districts, particularly Lyari, Baldia, Keamari, Manghopir, Orangi Town, and parts of North Nazimabad.

Approved in 2022, the scheme included constructing the new canal and rehabilitating the old one to improve supply to Keamari and West districts.

It also involved upgrading the Hub pumping station, rising main, and Hub filter plant capacity from 80 MGD to 100 MGD.

Sikandar Zardari noted that the old canal, built 50 years ago, had deteriorated and lacked maintenance, leading to daily water losses of 38 million gallons. He confirmed that the old canal will also be rebuilt.

The Hub Canal draws water from the Hub Dam, located 56 kilometres north of Karachi on the Sindh–Balochistan border.

Built on the Hub River, the dam’s construction began in September 1963 and was completed in June 1981. Of its 15,640-metre length, 10,240 metres lie in Sindh and the rest in Balochistan.

The dam supplies 100 MGD to Karachi for municipal and industrial use, and 15 MGD to Balochistan’s industries. Of the 216,406 acre-feet released annually, Sindh’s share is 63.3% and Balochistan’s 36.7%, guaranteed for 75 years.

The Hub Canal system includes the main canal, Karachi Water Supply Canal, Lasbela Canal, and Band Murad Minor.

At the head regulator, water distribution between Sindh and Balochistan is controlled through vertical gates, while the Band Murad Minor is fed from the Lasbela Canal.

The Karachi Water Supply Canal, with a discharge capacity of 210 cusecs, provides 20-25% of Karachi’s municipal and industrial water.

The 33.6km Lasbela Canal, with a 160-cusec capacity, irrigates 21,000 acres and supplies 15 MGD to industries in Balochistan.