Murad Ali Shah Approves Hyderabad Water Treatment Plant Project

Murad Ali Shah, Chief Minister of Sindh, has formally approved the construction of a new water treatment plant in Hyderabad, according to an official announcement released by the Sindh government on April 10, 2025.

The project, which will be developed under the Sindh Water and Sanitation Agency (SWASA), aims to address chronic water shortages and deteriorating water quality in Hyderabad, Pakistan’s second-largest city. The plant is designed to treat 150 million gallons of water per day, drawing supply from the Indus River via the existing Kotri barrage system.

Officials confirmed that the approved project includes the installation of advanced filtration and disinfection systems, including ultraviolet treatment and granular activated carbon units, to meet World Health Organization standards for potable water. The facility will also incorporate real-time water quality monitoring sensors linked to a central command center in Karachi.

The Sindh Chief Minister’s office stated that the approval follows a technical review conducted by SWASA engineers and independent consultants from the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR). No further details regarding the project’s budget, contractor selection, or timeline for completion were disclosed in the announcement.

Hyderabad has faced recurring water crises in recent years, with residents reporting intermittent supply, high salinity levels, and frequent contamination incidents. A 2024 survey by the Sindh Bureau of Statistics found that over 60% of households in the city relied on private water tankers or bottled water for daily consumption due to unreliable municipal supply.

The approved plant is expected to serve approximately 1.2 million residents across Hyderabad’s urban core and adjoining peri-urban areas upon completion. SWASA officials indicated that the project will be implemented in phases, with the first stage focusing on raw water intake and primary treatment infrastructure.

No public tender notices or pre-bid meetings related to the project have been published in the Sindh Procurement Regulatory Authority’s online portal as of April 12, 2025. The Sindh government has not yet announced a date for the groundbreaking ceremony or the appointment of an executing agency.