Mulund East to face water cut today after pipeline suffers damage

Representational Pic

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced a temporary disruption in the water supply in parts of the T Ward after a 750mm diameter main water pipeline was damaged in Mulund East. The water cut will begin on Tuesday and continue until the repair work is completed.

According to the BMC's Public Relations Department, the damage occurred on Monday during micro-tunnelling work, which is being carried out by the Sewage Project Department. The water pipeline, located beneath the nala (drain) at Hari Om Nagar and MHADA Colony in Mulund East, sustained significant damage, leading to major leakage.

Assistant Engineer (Waterworks), Maintenance Eastern Suburbs, Ghatkopar, has taken charge of the repair work, which is being carried out on a war footing. The BMC estimates that it will take approximately 12 to 14 hours to complete the repair and restore normal water supply.

Areas affected by the water cut

The following areas in T Ward will experience a water supply cut until the repair work is completed:

Mulund East - Area east of the Eastern Express Highway, including MHADA Colony and Hari Om Nagar
Mulund East - Area west of the Eastern Express Highway up to Mulund Station
The BMC has urged residents in the affected areas to use water sparingly and cooperate with the municipal administration during this period.

Mid-Day Special: How water management collapsed in Mumbai and MMR

While global cities are looking for solutions for drought years amid the rising threat of global warming and uncertain climate changes, cities in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) are struggling to meet current-day water supply needs. As the monsoon season ends, dams and rivers supplying water to MMR are overflowing. While this is a good sign, there is still no certainty that cities in MMR, considered engines of growth, will get water without any supply cuts. MMR, with a population of around 2.6 crore, is already facing a shortage of at least 950 million litres (15 per cent) for the daily requirement.

Though the water requirement of MMR is projected to double by 2050, the administration feels that the condition is not so intense. BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani said, "As of today, all dams are almost 100 per cent full and with that we will manage supply for the next 10 months, up to July (2025) end. There isn't a panic situation regarding water supply." Gagrani is right. Going by the chart of current water supply as per population, the BMC and the Navi Mumbai and Thane civic bodies have been supplying 200 litres or more water per person per day, which is more than the national norms of 135 litres for buildings and 55 litres for slums.

What is the problem?

The dams were 100 per cent full last year, too. By rough calculation, cities use 10 per cent of total stock every month (October to July), but by May 22 this year, the lake levels reached below 10 per cent. So, obviously, the water stock wouldn't have lasted for another two months. As the Lok Sabha elections were over by then, the BMC immediately imposed water cuts. Within two days, every other corporation including Navi Mumbai (which has the highest per-person water supply) imposed cuts. The cuts were withdrawn after two months in mid-July, after dams had sufficient stock. For at least the last three years, every summer the cities face such water cuts.