QUETTA – Gwadar’s acute water shortage has finally been resolved by theestablishment of a water desalination plant. This plant produces 300,000gallons of water daily, which is distributed to the local households inGwadar.

The desalination plant was established by the China Overseas Port HoldingCompany (COPHC), who delivers this desalted fresh water at a cost price tothe local government of Balochistan. This is a significant breakthroughachieved by the China and Pakistan under the China-Pakistan EconomicCorridor.

Gwadar has been facing acute water shortage for a really long time, wherelocal people have had little to no access to clean and drinking water. Thecity had presence of three dams which gave the locals access to water,however due to the water crisis prevailing in Pakistan, the reservoirs havestarted to dry up.

Zhang Baozhong, the CEO of the China Overseas Port Holding Company (COPHC),said that Pakistan Navy used to send warships to deliver fresh water to thepeople of the town.

However, since the provincial government signed an agreement with the COPHCfor the establishment of a water desalination plant, people have access tofresh water facilities. The desalination plant provides 300,000 gallons ofdrinkable desalted seawater daily to the Baloch government at a costprice. The government then distributes this water to the locals.

About 4000 households have benefited from this project. The water producedfrom this desalination plant has been approved by the World HealthOrganization and is one of the major breakthroughs achieved for the localpeople of Pakistan under the China Pakistan Economic Corridorlink (CPEC link).