Karachi sanitation crisis: Garbage piles, water cuts grip city post Eid
Synopsis
Karachi is sinking under a twin crisis: ‘mountains of garbage’ left rotting a week after Eidul Azha, and an 85 MGD water shortfall now in its third day. With tanker prices doubled, waits stretching to 10 days and disinfectant spraying absent, the city is one heatwave away from a public health emergency.
Key Takeaways
Garbage and animal remains lie uncollected in Karachi seven days after Eidul Azha .
Affected areas include Pir Colony , Lyari , Malir , Korangi , Orangi Town and North Karachi .
Water supply has been disrupted for a third consecutive day, with a shortfall of 85 MGD , per KWSC .
A K-Electric fault at the Dhabeji Grid knocked out 10 of 21 pumping units on 30 May .
Tanker prices have doubled and waiting times stretch to 7–10 days , residents say.
Sanitation in Karachi has sharply deteriorated, with animal remains and household garbage still uncollected seven days after Eidul Azha, even as the city simultaneously battles a third consecutive day of water supply disruption, local media reported on 3 June. The absence of disinfectant spraying and lime treatment has triggered foul odours and fears of an infectious disease outbreak across multiple neighbourhoods.
Areas worst hit by uncollected waste
Several localities continue to face severe waste management failures, including Pir Colony, FC Area, Liaquatabad No. 4, Dak Khana, Sindhi Hotel, Gulshan-e-Iqbal UCs 2 and 3, Soldier Bazaar, Garden, the Old City Area, Landhi, Lyari, Malir, Korangi, Orangi Town, North Karachi and New Karachi, according to a report by Pakistan's daily The Express Tribune.
Residents described what they called ‘mountains of garbage’ piling up on streets. The situation is reportedly worst in Pir Colony, where the dumping point set up by the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) for sacrificial animal waste sits on the main road and has been overwhelmed by routine household refuse.
What residents are saying
According to residents, SSWMB staff remained absent for the first two days of Eid, leaving animal remains and garbage strewn across the area. Some cleaning was conducted on the third day when waste collection vehicles finally arrived, but daily household garbage has continued to accumulate.
Residents in Soldier Bazaar and Garden said waste collection workers appeared only during the first two days of Eid before disappearing, leaving large dumps untouched.
Water crisis compounds the misery
The sanitation breakdown coincides with a deepening water emergency. Water supply remained suspended for a third consecutive day on Monday after a fault in K-Electric's (KE) main cable knocked out key pumping stations. The Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) said the power suspension has caused a daily shortfall of 85 million gallons per day (MGD), according to a report by Pakistan's Dawn newspaper.
On 30 May, KE's forced shutdown at the Dhabeji Grid for transformer repairs took out 10 of the 21 pumping units at the Dhabeji Pumping Station. The crisis worsened the same day when a power outage hit the North East Karachi (NEK) Water Pumping Station, disrupting the K-II Pumping Station and cutting supply across several areas.
Residents forced to pay double for tankers
With taps dry for weeks in many localities — and more than two months in others — residents have been forced to rely on private water tankers. The majority reportedly wait seven to 10 days for delivery, and tanker prices have doubled, pushing the cost beyond the reach of many households amid a scorching summer.
Civic authorities have not announced a concrete timeline for restoring full water and waste services. With temperatures climbing and garbage festering, public health officials are expected to face mounting pressure in the coming days.
Point of View
KWSC and K-Electric. Eid waste management is a calendared, recurring civic task; that it collapses every year exposes a planning failure, not an emergency. The deeper story is governance: Sindh's largest revenue-generating city continues to receive infrastructure attention disproportionate to its economic weight. Without accountability for the Dhabeji shutdown and the SSWMB's no-show, this cycle will repeat next Eid.
NationPress
19 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Karachi facing a sanitation crisis after Eidul Azha?
Animal remains and household garbage have remained uncollected for seven days after Eidul Azha because SSWMB staff reportedly stayed absent during the first two days of Eid, and collection has been irregular since. The absence of disinfectant spraying and lime treatment has raised fears of disease outbreaks.
Which areas of Karachi are worst affected by the garbage pile-up?
Pir Colony, FC Area, Liaquatabad No. 4, Soldier Bazaar, Garden, Lyari, Malir, Korangi, Orangi Town, North Karachi and New Karachi are among the worst hit, according to local media reports. Pir Colony is reportedly the most severely affected, with the SSWMB dumping point overflowing onto the main road.
What is causing Karachi's water shortage?
A fault in K-Electric's main supply cable has disrupted power to key pumping stations, including Hub, NEK and Dhabeji, causing a daily shortfall of 85 MGD according to KWSC. A forced shutdown at the Dhabeji Grid on 30 May knocked out 10 of 21 pumping units, deepening the crisis.
How are Karachi residents coping with the water cuts?
Most residents have been forced to rely on private water tankers, with waiting periods reportedly stretching to seven to 10 days. Tanker prices have doubled, putting them out of reach for many households amid the ongoing heatwave.
