Keeping tab on rainwater harvesting, managing dams, fixing pipelines are need of the hour
Instead of implementing long-term solutions for uninterrupted water availability, the BMC is looking at instant solutions to the water crisis, corporators and activists said. Many parts of the city are already facing water scarcity and this will become worse in the coming months due to water cut and low pressure of water.
The city gets 3,800 million litre of water per day. Given the spurt in population, the city will need more water in the coming years. But BMC officials are not doing much to push Gargai-Pinjal dams and Damanganga-Pinjal river link projects," blamed Manoj Kotak, group leader of BJP. He added, "The civic body also failed to keep a track of rainwater harvesting projects, which is mandatory for new constructions."
"Even if we keep aside the big projects, the city can save 25 per cent water if the BMC manages to fix the leakages. The water supply is low-pressured in several areas due to leakages and the BMC doesn't have a proper system in place to detect them," said Rais Sheikh, group leader of Samajwadi Party.
Though The BMC imposed water cuts across the city, few areas will be more affected than the others due to various factors, fear the corporators. Colaba, Bandra, Jogeshwari, and Charkop faced uneven water supply for several days last month; corporators blamed the civic body for cutting supply on the sly.
Twenty five per cent water is lost during supply every day, due to leakages in pipeline, theft in the slums and illegal tapping. The pipelines laid about 50 to 60 years ago have rusted and need immediate repair. "Even if the water losses come down to 15 per cent, citizens will get more water. Despite complaints, the BMC is reluctant to take action, which is worrying," said Crompton Texeira, an activist who has been voluntarily detecting leakages for the past 15 years.
The city has seven sewerage treatment plants, where the water gets only preliminary treatment before being disposed into the sea. The project to upgrade them for tertiary treatment so that water can be used for gardening and industries has been delayed for almost 10 years now.
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