QUETTA. With the change in weather, Quetta’s demand for water has increased and tube wells are usually an answer to the demand. But, such a supply system is not enough for more than two million people of the metropolitan city where water from the old Karez – water storage – is near the end.

According to estimates, the Balochistan Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has installed 400 tube wells which provide 200,000 gallons of water monthly against a demand of 700,000. In 2019, there was a demand for 500,000 gallons of water, as per WASA officials.

Over the years, the required depth to install an underground pipe to bore water has increased from 80ft to 2,000ft in the wake of low snowfall, smaller forest areas, and low water recharge from glacier related streams and rainfall.

Quetta’s thirst is being quenched through WASA taps and tanker services. Tankers laden on tractors take water from service stations and supply it to households in the province. A single tanker charges Rs1,500-2,000, locals say. However, the rate varies depending on the distance from the station to the house. Tankers laden on trucks are also available however they charge around Rs3,600 because of its large water storage capacity.

Locals also complain that some tanker groups set a margin of Rs1,000 on their delivery as no standard rate is being followed. They added that the water supplied through these tankers is used for all purposes from drinking to washing and watering gardens.

The rate of petrol also plays a major role in deciding the price of water tankers.

The government has imposed a ban on installing tube wells, which have been one of the main reasons for the dried soil. Earlier, the ground was drilled to a depth of 750 feet to extract water by installing a pipe at houses that had a four-inch diameter. This technique provided water for 24 hours.

Karez system

Karez Irrigation in Balochistan is an age-old method for extracting groundwater through gravity and has served the irrigation needs of the dispersed population of the area for centuries. “About 11% of the total irrigated area of the province is irrigated by karezes,” according to the study on karez irrigation in Balochistan published in October 1988.

However, researchers say the system has almost died with only one per cent running in Mastung.

Under the Karez system, melting ice water is stored in wells and after the gap of three to four kilometres, other wells are dug. Water does not evaporate under this system.