Water-starved citizens ‘squeezed’ further for more Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation revenue

KARACHI: While the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) is widely blamed for failing to provide water in many areas connected to its piped network across the metropolis, the utility has burdened Karachi residents with higher costs as it notified a uniform 7.05 per cent increase in water and sewerage charges for its residential and bulk consumers. The latest increase has marked the second major hike in just two years as in September 2024 the corporation had increased its monthly charges by roughly 23 per cent. At the time, sewerage charges were set at nine per cent of water charges. The decision draws widespread criticism from the public who have to rely on water tankers as the KWSC failed to ensure uninterrupted water supply in their areas. Uniform 7.05pc increase in monthly water and sewerage charges notified A notification published in the Sindh Government Gazette on August 10, 2026 made the increase official, following approval by the KWSC Board of Directors to revise both retail and bulk tariffs in line with the average Consumer Price Index. Under the revised tariff, monthly water and sewerage charges for residential plots will be based on plot size, while fixed monthly rates have also been set for various categories of commercial establishments and shops. The hike in water and sewerage charges triggered concern and anger among people, many terming it injustice to people who did not even get adequate water supply despite paying hefty bills. Muhammad Irfan, a resident of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, said that they got water only twice a month and that too for hardly half an hour. “We still have to buy tankers and now we have to pay the full increased bill. Where is the justice in this?“ he asked. A housewife from Model Colony, Sadia Butt, said that after electricity and gas, now the water had gone up too. “With a seven per cent increase, everyone’s bill goes up,” she said adding that it was already so hard to manage expenses these days. Abdul Ghafoor, a shopkeeper in Khokrapar, Malir, said that there had been no piped water in his area at all, still the water utility sent them a fixed bill without meters. “With this fresh hike, small traders like us will face more burden,” he added. A resident of Saddar said: “The government says it will provide facilities. We don’t get facilities, instead the bill increases every year.” KWSC officials said that the objective of the revision was to strengthen the corporation’s revenue base and generate sustainable resources for water supply and for the operation, maintenance and rehabilitation of the city’s sewerage network and other civic services. According to KWSC data, the corporation collected Rs8.14 billion in the first four months of 2026, with average monthly revenue now exceeding Rs2.26 billion. However, the KWSC’s recovery rate remains low as in FY24 only 36 per cent of billed grievances were resolved within the stipulated time under the previous system in financial year 2024-25. The KWSC Act 2023 provides the legal cover for such revisions, empowering the utility to adjust tariffs annually in accordance with inflation without seeking fresh legislation each year. The KWSC officials said that without additional revenue, service delivery would deteriorate further and the revision was also tied to the utility’s commitments under the World Bank-funded Karachi Water and Sewerage Services Improvement Project. Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2026