Latest news with #HyderabadWaterandSewerageCorporation
Express Tribune
04-07-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
'Unfiltered water' from Indus pumped directly to homes in Hyderabad
A major public health concern has surfaced across Hyderabad as large portions of the city's densely populated neighbourhoods continue to receive untreated water drawn directly from the Indus River. The issue, long shrouded in administrative ambiguity and contradictory claims, came under sharp scrutiny when the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) conducted an unannounced inspection of the Jamshoro Filtration Plant, raising fresh alarms over water quality and civic negligence. SEPA officials accompanied by Deputy Director Technical Imran Ali Abbasi collected water samples from key operational chambers, including the lagoon site, chlorination chamber and alum treatment units. These samples have been dispatched for laboratory analysis. The team confirmed that the plant supplies water to areas such as Qasimabad, Latifabad, and central Hyderabad, and hinted at imminent inspections at other filtration sites across the city. The raid exposed systemic failures at multiple levels of the Hyderabad Water and Sewerage Corporation (HWSC). Despite official press releases asserting that "filtered and safe" drinking water is being supplied to the public, reality paints a different picture. Several filtration units-particularly those located in Phuleli, Hala Naka, Tando Yousuf, and Hussainabad-are completely defunct. Communities around Airport Road and Kohsar Housing Society are receiving water that is allegedly pumped directly from the river with no prior purification. Residents have consistently complained of foul-smelling, visibly polluted water, with an uptick in skin infections and waterborne diseases reported over recent weeks-especially concerning during Muharram, a time when public gatherings and hydration needs intensify. SEPA's findings have amplified longstanding concerns that the city is teetering on the edge of an environmental and health emergency. According to sources, only a fraction of the distributed water undergoes rudimentary alum treatment, while chlorination systems at major plants on Jamshoro Road, Preetabad, and Ghaghar Mori have failed due to outdated equipment and repeated gas drum leaks. Latifabad Unit 4 and Habib Farm reportedly receive untreated "raw water" diverted directly from the river. Ironically, officials have in some cases shifted the blame to residents, claiming that water contamination stems from unauthorized plumbing work and underground pipe leakage. A recent public statement from the Water Corporation suggested that poor-quality installations by uncertified plumbers were contributing to the intrusion of impurities-an assertion SEPA has yet to verify. Speaking to Express, Imran Ali Abbasi confirmed that additional surprise inspections will be conducted across filtration plants that supply densely inhabited sectors of the city. He emphasized that the 2014 Sindh Environmental Protection Act must be strictly enforced to ensure public access to clean drinking water. In an editorial development long advocated by Daily Express, this unfolding situation underscores the critical need for structural overhauls, regulatory compliance, and renewed investment in water purification infrastructure. With millions at risk, civic authorities are now under pressure to provide more than just reassurances-and to act before this health hazard escalates into an irreversible crisis.
Express Tribune
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Water crisis intensifies in Hyderabad
A severe water crisis has grappled the city due to the inefficiency and negligence of the Hyderabad Water and Sewerage Corporation (HWSC). Despite the abundance of water in the Indus River and the continuous discharge of water from the Kotri Barrage into three canals — Akramwah, Old Phuleli and New Phuleli — the city's residents are facing a dire shortage of drinking water. The corporation's failure to supply the required 60 million gallons of water per day has forced citizens to rely on expensive water tankers or filtration plants. The administration is neither taking action against them nor providing an alternative system to the citizens. Civil society members claim that the water shortage has been deliberately created to benefit certain elements. The crisis has affected various parts of the city, including Kohisar, Latifabad, Hyderabad City, Phuleli, Preetabad, Tando Tayyab, Faqir ka Pirr, Gaari Khata, Khokhar Mohalla, Qazi Qayyum Road area, Pakka Qila, and Qasimabad. Even mosques in some areas lack water for ablution. Major political parties, religious, social, and business organisations have maintained a criminal silence on this issue. With the holy month of Muharram approaching, the demand for water is expected to increase manifold during majalis and nazr-o-nayaz at homes.
Express Tribune
08-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
HWSC workers yet to get salaries
The CEO of Hyderabad Water and Sewerage Corporation (HWSC) Tufail Ahmed Abro has assured the corporation's staff that their salaries and pensions not paid for several months will be paid before Eidul Azha. According to a statement issued by the Mehran Workers Union, a delegation of the union led by General Secretary Aslam Abbassi held a meeting with the CEO to discuss the issue. The delegation informed the CEO that salaries of 10 to 12 months had not been paid to the workers.
Express Tribune
02-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Hyd seeks Rs69b ADB funding for water project
Hyderabad Mayor Kashif Ali Shoro presented on Thursday water supply and drainage schemes worth around Rs69 billion before a delegation of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), seeking the international financial institution's funding for an array of these projects. The proposed schemes require Rs22.538 billion funds for the water supply component and Rs47.283 billion for the sewerage. The ADB delegation included the unit head urban programmes Mian Shaukat Shafi, Sara Azfar, Okju Jeong and Mohsen Islam Khan. The mayor was assisted by Deputy Commissioner Zainul Abedin Memon, Municipal Commissioner Zahoor Ahmed Lakhan and chief executive officer of Hyderabad Water and Sewerage Corporation (HW&SC) Tufail Abro. "Investment in improving the urban infrastructure is the need of the time," the mayor underlined, adding that assistance from the IFI could be crucial for undertaking that development. He pointed out that the existing water filtration plants are insufficient keeping in view the rapidly growing population of the city which is estimated between 2.5 to three million people. According to him, thousands of people visit Hyderabad from the neighbouring cities on a daily basis. He acknowledged that water shortage problem existed in the city owing to which the people are compelled to use brackish subsoil water. Ironically, Hyderabad is surrounded by the Indus River and three lakes, yet residents still face a water shortfall. The mayor also admitted that the sewerage poodles are destroying asphalt roads in Hyderabad. He drew the ADB's attention towards the developing master plan of the city which he claimed is trying to holistically address the development and infrastructure issues. The presentation given to the delegation about water supply related projects including proposals for building four new filtration plants of six million gallons per day (MGD) capacity each. These rapid gravity plants in Kohsar, New Hyderabad City, Tando Jam and Hatri are estimated to cost Rs2.428 billion, Rs3.096 billion, Rs6.3 billion and Rs3.695 billion, respectively. The procurement of machinery and equipment for the existing plants also required funding of Rs5.5 billion while the laying of four-inch to 32-inch-diameter pipelines in the areas in seven Town Municipal Corporations (TMCs) will cost Rs5.1 billion. Likewise, massive injection of funds has been sought for laying drainage lines in the city. However, it seems the authorities have disregarded the necessity of sewerage treatment plants as untreated wastewater is being dumped with impunity in the river and the canals. Another amount of Rs5.94 billion will be spent on laying a 12-kilometre-long drain from Hyderabad bypass to Northern Sewerage Treatment Plant (NSTP). The construction of sump wells, pump houses and sewer lines of 12-inch to 48-inch-diameter will cost Rs7.45 billion in the all nine TMCs.
Express Tribune
07-03-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
Sanitation workers block sewage flow in protest
Gutters overflow and flood several areas of the city as sanitation workers take to the streets, demanding unpaid salaries. PHOTO: express The Hyderabad Water and Sewerage Corporation (HWSC) staff temporarily shut down a major sewerage pumping station in protest against the non-payment of their salaries and pensions. The employees, who have not been paid for the past year, halted operations at the Tulsi Das Disposal Pumping Station for four hours. The closure of the station led to sewage water accumulating on several major roads, including Gari Khata, Naya Pul Chowk, Qazi Qayyum Road, and Station Road, affecting traffic flow and causing inconvenience to residents. During the protest, the employees staged a sit-in at the pumping station and shouted slogans. Employees Union leaders, including Chairman Ejaz Hussain, General Secretary Abdul Qayyum Bhatti, and President Athar Khan Chang, addressed the protest and highlighted the financial struggles faced by HWSC staff. They said that employees have been deprived of their salaries due to the failure of both the corporation's administration and the Sindh government to fulfill their financial obligations. The union leaders said that the provincial government has not released Rs80 million per month for water and sewerage services, while the corporation continues to collect Rs70 million in local revenue each month. Despite this, the administration has failed to pay employees' salaries, pensions, and other dues, prompting the workers to resort to extreme measures. The union leaders warned that if their demands for immediate payment are not met, they will intensify their protest, bringing the entire water supply and sewerage system in the city to a standstill.
