Water relief!

BMC will not impose 30% water cut this month fearing voter wrath

BMC will not impose 30% water cut this month fearing voter wrath

The BMC has stalled its plan to increase water cuts to 30 per cent from the existing 15 per cent this month.

Every year, civic officials take stock of the water available for the city at the end of September and accordingly take precautionary measures to ensure the scarcity is not severe.

Accordingly, last month, a meeting had been held where it was decided to increase water cut to 30 per cent.

Yesterday, another review meeting was to have been held and the 30 per cent water cut put into effect. That meeting has been postponed, as also the water cut hike, due to the upcoming elections.

A senior official from the BMC's hydraulic department said, "We were supposed to review the water crisis today, but the meeting has been postponed till the Assembly elections are over. Politicians don't want to upset voters."

Splash! Around 650 million litres of water is wasted every day in Mumbai due to leakage and thefts. That's enough water to fill 260 Olympic-size swimming pools.

Review in mid Oct

However, Pramod Charankar, deputy municipal commissioner, said, "We will be reviewing the water condition in mid October now. Generally it rains in the first week of October, so we thought of postponing the meeting."

Another official from the hydraulic department, requesting anonymity, said, "Even though it rains in October, it is unlikely that the lakes will overflow again.
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There has to be a heavy downpour for three to four consecutive days, which looks a distant possibility considering that the monsoon is on its way out."

Normally, by September all the six lakes supplying water to the city overflow. But this year only two lakes Modak Sagar and Tulsi filled to capacity, but even the level went down subsequently.

Up Ahead

The Middle Vaitarna Water Supply Project, which is likely to provide an additional 455 million litres (1,820 Olympic-sized swimming pools) a day, will be completed in 2011.

Two dams on the river Gargai (120 km north of Mumbai ) and Pinjal (130 km north of Mumbai) by 2017 and 2021 respectively, which would supply over 1,300 crore litres (5,200 swimming pools).

Mumbai's water demand goes up by 8-10 crore litres every year. That's enough water to fill 35-40 Olympic-size swimming pools.

Presently, the city receives 328 crore litres a day (1,312 swimming pools) against the demand of 420 crore litres of water (1,680 swimming pools).

(One Olympic-size swimming pool has a capacity of 25 lakh litres.)