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Coastal Megacity Karachi Is Running Out of Water (earther.com)

The Pakistani megacity of Karachi, home to more than 20 million people, is among the most water-stressed cities in the world, only able to meet half of its daily water demand. From a report: Karachi requires 1,100 million of gallons per day (mgd), but only receives 550 mgd, according to the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB). Karachi's water is sourced from the Indus River via Keenjhar Lake, which sits more than 90 miles away from the city. The water shortage in Karachi is linked to myriad factors including climate change, mismanagement of water resources, and corruption. Most of all, however, a rising population increasing at a rate of 4.5 percent a year creates a strain on the finite water supply. Pakistan ranks in the top ten of countries worst affected by climate change, and water shortages are likely to deepen in both intensity and frequency in the coming decade.

10 of 286 comments (clear)

  1. Quintupling your population is not sustainable by Venona2018 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Pakistan has gone from 40 million people in 1955 to 200 million in 2018. That is a 5 times increase in less than 65 years. Is there anyone who thinks that is sustainable? http://www.worldometers.info/w...

    1. Re: Quintupling your population is not sustainable by Zorpheus · · Score: 4, Informative

      And let's make clear the relation to the numbers in the summary: Karachi still has about as much water per resident as Berlin is consuming. They don't have a lack of water, they have bad management of it and are wasting it.

  2. Climate Change? by DatbeDank · · Score: 3, Informative

    Pretty sure the order of causes are corruption and water mismanagement followed by climate change being the crack that drained their fresh water supply.

  3. Re: Quintupling your population is not sustainabl by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Except that isn't happening, and fresh water in America has jack shit to do with fresh water in Pakistan.

    Fuck off, Ahmed.

  4. Re: Leave or deal with it by phantomfive · · Score: 3, Informative

    It goes back into the ocean, and is (rather quickly) diluted so that there is no observable difference. Near the output 'vent' there is higher salt content in the water, which can affect the environment right around the output area, but that can be mitigated through various techniques.

    --
    "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
  5. A far better story: by Futurepower(R) · · Score: 5, Informative

    A far better story: Parched for a price: Karachi's water crisis

    Quotes:

    Perween Rehman: "It is not the poor who steal the water. It is stolen by a group of people who have the full support of the government agencies, the local councillors, mayors and the police; all are involved."

    "Shortly before her murder, Rehman spoke to a documentary crew, who were making a film about her work."

    More:

    "The scale of the theft is staggering. ... stealing water in Karachi is an industry worth more than half a billion dollars." (each year)

    "Ali Asghar, 75, says he still has to pay bills to the utility company for water that never comes in the pipes."

    Another problem:
    Family size.

    "... Farzana Bibi, 40, ... manages a household of 5 people on an income of roughly $190 a month.

    "... his entire household of 17 people is dependent on water bought from tankers."

    Al Jazeera is generally a good place for such news. However, this story has no date. It was apparently written in 2017.

    So, the parent comment is exactly correct.

  6. Re:Obvious free market solution by Bearhouse · · Score: 5, Informative

    Ah, sadly not. People either pay nothing for water (they steal it) or they already pay a fortune to the "tanker mafia".

    http://www.circleofblue.org/20...

  7. Re:Pakistan == Mud People by religionofpeas · · Score: 2, Informative

    If you want to understand how big the issue is, then "they only get half the water the need" is a good description.

    1.1 billion gallons, or 4.2 million cubic meter are equally useless for proper visualization.

  8. Re: Pakistan == Mud People by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    The problem is in units of people. 10 million too many. Good luck trying to save the planet by banning plastic grocery bags while the third world is breeding like locust.

  9. Re: Pakistan == Mud People by bluegutang · · Score: 2, Informative

    Actually, large cities generally use less resources per person than small cities or rural areas.

    And Pakistan has an average of 2.62 kids per family which is hardly "breeding like locusts". Replacement fertility is probably about 2.4 in Pakistan, so they are barely over replacement.