US firm to build two desalination plants

Staff Report

KARACHI: The City District Government Karachi (CDGK) signed on Monday an agreement with an American company to build two desalination plants at a cost of 170 million US dollars each.

The head of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB), whom the CDGK Nazim called EDO, and owner of the California-based Enviro-Management Company Samiullah Khan signed the agreement.

The US Consul-General at Karachi, Douglas C Rohn, and the CDGK Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, countersigned the agreement as witnesses.

According to the company, two water desalination plants will be built in a coastal area of the city. Each will have the capacity to desalinate 25 million gallons daily seawater.

Two power plants, each with 20MW capacity, will also be built at the site to run the desalination plants. The water desalination plants will be built on build-own-and-operate basis. The company and the KWSB will be authorised to sell the water. The rates will be fixed in consultation with the CDGK. According to the company management, the equipment to be used in installation of the plants will be imported from the US.

Speaking at the ceremony, the US Consul-General, Douglas C Rohn, said the project was proof that US investment was coming here. He said more investment from the US would come to Pakistan.

He praised the efforts of City Nazim Naimatullah Khan for development of the city.

Talking to journalists after the ceremony, the US diplomat said law and order in the city was not satisfactory, but it could be improved. Karachi being the largest city of Pakistan was facing problems like other big cities of the world, he added.

Earlier speaking at the ceremony, the CDGK Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, highlighted the significance of water in future, saying in future wars would be fought not for land but for water.

He said Karachi had a long seacoast and a number of such plants would be built in future. He added that the CDGK welcomed foreign investment in mega projects and assured that investors would be encouraged.

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