Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai
Mumbai, Jun 17: Facing dwindling water reserves amid delayed monsoon rains, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced stricter water conservation measures, including stopping water supply to swimming pools and construction sites from Wednesday.
The civic body has also imposed a 20 per cent water cut on industrial and commercial establishments, in addition to the 10 per cent precautionary cut already in force across Mumbai since May 15.
The decision was taken during a special review meeting chaired by Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide to assess the water stock in the seven lakes that supply drinking water to Mumbai. According to the BMC, water reserves in these lakes stood at just 10.35 per cent as of June 16.
As part of the latest restrictions, water connections to all construction sites will be temporarily disconnected, while approval of new water connections for construction projects has been suspended until the situation improves.
Water supply to swimming pools across the city will also be halted. Industrial and commercial establishments, along with sports clubs, will face an additional 20 per cent reduction in water supply.
The civic body has further decided to keep applications for supplementary water connections pending until water reserves are restored to satisfactory levels.
Authorities managing public sanitation facilities and restrooms have been advised to use water from tankers or borewells wherever possible and minimise the use of treated drinking water.
The BMC has also restricted water supply to aerated beverage and packaged drinking water plants, allowing only the quantity required for the drinking needs of workers employed at such facilities.
The civic administration warned of strict action against individuals or organisations found wasting drinking water or violating the newly imposed restrictions.
In its circular, the BMC directed major establishments, including Central and Western Railway, Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), and Mumbai Port Authority (BPT), to utilise treated sewage water for operational and secondary purposes.
The corporation has also advised citizens and institutions to maximise the use of water from wells and borewells for non-drinking purposes such as vehicle washing, watering gardens and parks, and cleaning roads and premises.
In a statement, the BMC attributed the water shortage to delayed rainfall and the impact of El Niño, which has affected inflows into the reservoirs supplying Mumbai.
"Due to a delay in rainfall and declining water levels in the dams supplying the city, precautionary measures have been undertaken to ensure available water reserves last longer," the statement said.
Mumbai and its suburbs require around 4,664 million litres of water daily. The BMC typically supplies between 3,950 and 4,100 million litres per day. Following the implementation of the existing 10 per cent water cut, daily supply has already been reduced to approximately 3,650 million litres.