The Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) Seawater Desalination Plant has produced more than one million gallons of potable water in the past 24 hours, significantly helping to ease the port city’s ongoing water crisis, officials said, according to Gwadar Pro. The plant converted 1,006,400 gallons of seawater into clean and drinkable water during the period. “The plant is playing a highly effective role in overcoming Gwadar’s water shortage,” the authority said in an official statement.

The 1.2 million gallons per day (MGD) plant has been steadily ramping up operations and is now running at nearly 84 percent capacity, resulting in a notable improvement in the city’s water supply. A flagship project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the desalination facility was constructed with a $12.7 million grant from the Chinese government.

The plant was inaugurated on December 4, 2023, and is providing sustainable drinking water to Gwadar, which has long struggled with water scarcity due to prolonged dry spells and minimal rainfall. Meanwhile, the Gwadar district administration reported that multiple water sources are being utilized to ensure supply across the city and its surrounding areas.

The Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) delivered 1.1 million gallons of water through a pipeline from Shadi Kaur Dam, while Mirani Dam supplied 1.137 million gallons via 101 water tankers dispatched across the district. Additionally, the Public Health Engineering Department provided 112,000 gallons of water to Chab Rekani, Chab Kalmati, Nigor, and nearby villages through 23 tanker trips.

From Kalatu to Jiwani, 18 water bowsers delivered another 157,250 gallons to local communities. “All available resources are being mobilized to ensure uninterrupted water supply and to overcome the crisis at the earliest,” the district administration said.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China