Enjoy. If we continue to waste as much water as we do, we may soon be celebrating another day: the World Without Water Day
Enjoy. If we continue to waste as much water as we do, we may soon be celebrating another day: the World Without Water Day
THE BMC's antiquated water distribution system is costing the city a gasping 350 million litres every day and more. This much water can fill 140 Olympic-sized swimming pools, a matter of concern for the city.
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Besieged by water pipes that are more than 80 years old and buried several feet deep below the surface, leakages in the piping network are a concern for the municipal corporation that is already falling short of city demand versus supply by 650 million litres every single day. The BMC is now considering charging higher tariffs for higher consumption in order to curb consumer wastage.
"The wastage is especially high in areas like Parel and Ward C and D where the piping system is inaccessible because of existing overhead buildings and the depth at which the pipes are located," said Pramod Charankar, deputy municipal commissioner for water supply projects. Charankar added that the corporation had earmarked around Rs 100 crore to revamp the system but several hurdles lie in their way.
For starters, the BMC is struggling to reach the pipes because of illegal encroachments and the construction boom in the city. "Moreover, with road widening projects and heavy traffic, there is limited time to fix the century-old distribution system," said S S Korlekar, chief hydraulic engineer. The BMC is also forced to stop water supply in areas where work is ongoing for 24 hoursu00a0a step that invites much anger from residents and owners of commercial spaces.
The corporation's main challenge this summer will be to check water wastage, measured by calculating the difference between the water supplied and consumption meter reading in areas. "Appliances that effectively use water and people's habits must change with time. The hydraulic department is also introducing a helpline for people to report leakages," said Charankar Mumbai's current water demand stands at 4,100 million litres a day while BMC supply is 3,450 million litres per day. The BMC currently receives more than 2,000 complaints of leakages every month.
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Damp initiatives
Builders feel the corporation's rainwater harvesting initiative has fallen flat. Just seven to eight per cent of newly constructed buildings have incorporated harvesting models. Anand Gupta, secretary of Builder's Association of India said, "Builders comply with the rules but the BMC fails to upkeep their initiatives. Societies are often clueless for lack of training which the municipal corporation should ensure. It's not enough to only introduce policies; you actually have to implement it." Mumbai today has more than 70 lakes of different sizes.
Facts
>>Mumbai's daily water demand 4,100 million litres
>>BMC's daily water supply 3450 million litres
>>Water wastage daily 300-350 million litres per day
Areas where maximum is wasted: Ward C (Marine Drive, Girgaum, Charni Road), Ward D (Walkeshwar, Malabar Hill, Pedder Road), Parelu00a0
Water Tariff (per thousand litres)
>>Rs 2.25 for slum and chawl areas
>>Rs 3.5 for residential areas
>>Rs 7 for residential on humanitarian grounds (resident with no occupational certificates)
>>Rs 18 for industrial areas
>>Rs 25 for commercial areas
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