Although the rain Gods showered a generous bounty on Mumbai and Thane this year, the Thane Municipal Corporation is preparing for the possibility of another parched summer. The civic body has decided to clean and chlorinate existing wells in the region to ensure residents have enough drinking water next year.
This year, Thane faced the brunt of an unforgiving summer. The city faced a drought-like situation, with taps in lakhs of households running dry for about three weeks.
However, TMC faces an uphill task. The city currently has 555 wells, of which 216 are either dilapidated, neglected, surrounded by garbage or have been polluted by neighbouring drains. "We will clean and chlorinate the wells to make it safe to drink," said a senior official of TMC's water department, on condition of anonymity.
The job of purifying well water will be outsourced to a private party on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis. TMC will then sell purified water to residents. "Water purification units will be installed inside each well. Electricity will be supplied by us," said the official.
Thane required 460 million litres of water daily. "Purified water will be supplied to areas with poor water supply, including Kalwa, Mumbra and Lokmanyanagar," he said. "A proposal has been sent to the general body and it should be approved in the next meeting," he said.
Earlier, TMC had tied up with NGO Water Life to purify water in wells and borewells. As a result, five Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants were set up in Vijaynagari, Atkoneshwarnagar, Manishanagar, Azadnagar, and Lokmanyanagar areas of the city. Purified water is sold to residents for 35 paise per litre and Rs 20 per seven litres.
Number of wells in Thane - 555
Wells cleaned - 130
Neglected wells – 216
Dams providing water to Thane Storage level (%)
Bhatsa 99.91%
Tansa 98.04%
Modak Sagar 96.59%
Baravi 100%
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "DNA")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}