Navi Mumbai residents complain of water shortages, TIA warns stir

Navi Mumbai is facing water supply issues this year, with complaints coming from various areas of the city. The lack of rainfall in August has worsened the situation, despite the dams filling up in July. NMMC, CIDCO, and PMC are the nodal agencies responsible for supplying water to different parts of the city. Residents are frustrated with the inadequate supply and poor quality of water. The authorities claim that the residents have been wasteful with water, leading to the need for rationing. They are also exploring additional water sources to meet the increasing demand. Taloja industrialists have threatened to protest if the water supply situation is not resolved by September 6.

NAVI MUMBAI / PANVEL

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Navi Mumbai has over the years prided itself on adequate water supply in the region even as the neighbouring cities have faced acute shortages. This year however, there have been complaints galore of water supply issues from all over the city which falls under different nodal agencies.

Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) supplies water to areas in the city from Digha to Belapur, CIDCO supplies to nodes developed by it outside NMMC jurisdiction in Panvel and Uran areas while Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) supplies water to Panvel city and areas of the erstwhile municipal council area that CIDCO doesn’t supply to.

With rains playing truant this monsoon, the water situation has turned worrisome. There was little rainfall in June, while it rained heavily in July for the rains to vanish again in August. While the dams filled up considerably in July, the lack of rains in August have put a brake on the supply situation.

NMMC which owns Morbe dam has always ensured more than adequate water to the city. This year however, there are complaints from several areas about lack of adequate supply.

Says Saurabh Pandya, a resident of Sector 11 in Kopar Khairane, “There are several high rises in our area and we have a perennial problem of water supply. The quantity supplied is very less with very low pressure of supply.”

He lamented, “It seems as if areas like Kopar Khairane and Ghansoli are being given step motherly treatment. We have complained several times to NMMC but there has been little respite. All the promises of 24/7 water have remained just that.”

Said former corporator Ravindra Mhatre, “Though the dam has filled up considerably, we get water for only a couple of hours. Several times the water is muddy and cannot be used.”

He added, “There are constant repairs and shutdowns that NMMC announces now a days. They seem to be a plot to simply not supply water. 24 hour shutdowns result in no water for over 2 days and then a couple of days to normalize.”

PMC residents too are upset. Said Atul Jaitpal, a resident of Sai Nagar in Panvel, “Monsoon or no monsoon, we suffer from acute water shortage for days. Recently we started getting contaminated water. When we complained, the water supply was cut completely and we have been suffering for almost two weeks now. How do we survive?”

Residents of CIDCO areas claim that CIDCO had committed a fraud on them. Said Shahjehan Chougule, a resident of Taloja, “We shifted to the node because CIDCO promises us excellent civic services including water supply. Not one month goes when we do not have to take out morchas or meet the authorities to plead for normal water supply.”

Former Karajade sarpanch Rameshwar Angre, who recently led a morcha of the residents to CIDCO Bhavan on the issue said, “It feels as if we are residing in a drought affected area. CIDCO has taken development charges from the residents but has failed to provide even normal water supply. We have run out of patience now.”

The authorities have a different story to tell. Said NMMC city engineer Sanjay Desai, “The issue is that the residents of NMMC have over the years been spoilt with abundant water supply. This has led to a lot of wastage and little care to use the precious resource with care.”

He informed, “We have cut down supplies to areas where the consumption of water is more than the average expected. It is important to ration water to ensure there are no shortages in the coming months.”

Informed the city engineer, “There is an issue with MIDC water supply which is only 62 mld against 80mld that we normally get. Of this 4-5 mld was supplied to Kopar Khairane and the rest to Airoli-Digha area. The reduction in water from MIDC has affected the supply situation in some areas.”

According to Desai, “Morbe dam has filled up over 93% and we are expecting good showers in a week as per the weather reports. That should ensure that the dam water situation further improves and the dam even fills up.”

He added, “”As of now there is no water shortage, however, we need to plan for contingencies. There is redevelopment happening, there is increased demand from the slum areas and also overall increase in population. Hence necessary measures are being taken.”

On additional sources of water, Desai said, “We have held meetings for it and are looking at the feasibility of sourcing water from Tata Power House dam also known as Bhira dam, located in Kolad. We want to source water that flows into rivers from Tata Power Bhira Hydro Electric Project.”

Dismissing the use of an old railway dam in Iltanpada, Digha, he said, “It makes no sense as its capacity is very low which will not be enough for even 2 days of supply to Navi Mumbai.”

PMC too says there is no water shortage as of now. Said Vilas Chavan, PMC deputy engineer (Water), “The recent problem in Sai Nagar was due to contamination. Work on it is progressing. It is taking time as the pipelines are 7 feet deep. The situation will normalize in a couple of days.”

On the complaints by residents, he said, “That is because of changes in water supply time at times. Also, if there is any break in supply from MJP even for a few minutes, it takes hours for the regular supply to be restored. This upsets the residents.”

Stated Chavan, “There are no water cuts as of now. We are taking into account the rainfall situation and planning accordingly.”

CIDCO did not respond on the issue.

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Taloja industrialists threaten protest

Taloja Industries Association (TIA) has threatened to take to the streets if their water supply situation is not resolved by September 6.

Said Satish Shetty, president of TIA, “The industries are forced to depend on water tankers. Our production has been hit while the employees have to pay. The situation is so grave that there is shortage of even drinking water and for toilets. We are paying monthly water charges to MIDC and yet have to face this.”

He lamented, “We have taken up the issue with industries minister Uday Samant when he visited the area and have also approached MIDC several times to little response. Where is the support to the industries from the government?”

He stated, “If the water scarcity issues is not resolved by MIDC by September 6, we will protest on the roads and will be forced to use all available means of agitation.”

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NMMC – Morbe Dam

Total Gross Storage Capacity – 190.890 MCM (100%)

Current Storage – 178.264 MCM (93.38%)

Total Level Capacity – 88.00 mtr

Current Level – 86.68 mtr

Total rainfall – 3,023.20 mm

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Morbe dam is Navi Mumbai’s primary source of water. It is located near Khalapur in Raigad district, at Dhavri river, which originates from Patalganga river. Constructed on the foothills of Matheran near Chowk village of Raigad district, Morbe dam is owned by NMMC, the only civic body to have purchased its own dam after independence.

The maximum height at which water overflows in the dam is 88 metres. The dam has a total storage capacity of 190.89 million cubic metres.

NMMC sources 476.847 mld raw water from the dam daily with 415.40 mld treated pure water from it being supplied to NMMC area. The water is supplied to over 1,27,000 water connections in the NMMC area. 15 mld water is used for gardens and watering plans on the dividers. 37 mld water is supplied to Kamothe node and the areas around Morbe dam.

PMC

Panvel requires 30-32 mld water daily. PMC sources 15 mld from MJP and 5 mld from MIDC. The remaining requirement is sourced from PCMC owned Dehrang dam.

CIDCO

CIDCO supplies water from Hetawane dam that is presently 88% full.