Mumbai civic body replaces only 50% of the promised water pipelines in 2017

Although the civic body delivered on only half of its promise to replace old water pipes, water losses have now come down to about 830 million liters per day.

Although the civic body delivered on only half of its promise to replace old, leaky water pipelines, water losses have now come down to about 830 million liters per day, which is just 22%of the water supply.

Contamination of water caused by leaks has become a common problem in Mumbai households. (HT file pgoto)

This is a reduction from last year’s 27% water losses caused by leakages due to unauthorized usage and errors in metering.

While it planned to replace 38 kilometres of the city’s water mains in 2017, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) managed to restore only 19 kilometres.

The BMC has said it will replace 7 kilometres more by end of March.

The remaining 12 kilometres will be taken up in the financial year 2018-19, along with an additional 35 kilometres of newly identified leaky pipelines.

Rs59 crores of the 2018 budget have been set aside for the replacement and improvement of the 47 kilometres of water pipelines, said civic officials from the hydraulics (water supply) department.

Chief engineer, hydraulic department, Ashokkumar Tawadia said, “The assessment of the age and condition of water pipelines is a continuous process. We either replace entire pipes or just patches. Replacing lines that burst frequently is a priority.”