Posted: Thursday , Jul 09, 2009 at 0138 hrs Mumbai:
Two days after the BMC announced additional 30% water cut, around 250 large establishments including government hospitals, five star hotels and private clubs have started feeling the pinch. With the city already reeling under water shortage, the BMC has started gradual disconnection of water supply to swimming pools, gardens and construction sites. Large establishments in the city consume around 100 million litres of water per annum.
“Since these are bulk consumers of water, we have decided to curtail the supply up to 30%. Many of these establishments do not use the water for drinking purpose but for flushing, washing and some other purposes,” said Additional Municipal Commissioner (projects), Anil Diggikar.
The cut will be put into effect by tightening the valves of the pipes supplying water to these establishments. This will reduce the force with which water flows through pipes.
The 250 bulk consumers include government offices like Mantralaya, BMC headquarters, industrial establishments, commercial complexes, swimming pools (municipal and private), five star hotels, clubs and municipal gardens. Diggikar said a team of civic officials will visit these areas and survey the consumption of water and accordingly a decision to curtail the supply will be taken. “Around 400 million litres of water per day can be saved in this drive,” he said.
Supply to municipal swimming pools in Ghatkopar and Mulund along with civic gardens in the city has been disconnected. Similarly, supply to construction sites has also been stopped.
As the catchment areas didn’t receive much rainfall this monsoon— the highest has been in Modak Sagar Lake situated in Bhiwandi with 208 mm so far — the lake levels have started depleting and the civic administration has imposed a water cut up to 30 per cent. It has also issued a five-point programme to cope with the situation. The BMC has decided to stop water supply to swimming pools and bus depots. It has also decided to allocate Rs 50 lakh per ward for cleaning and repairing wells and hiring tankers.
“We will also be requesting the BEST and MSRTC not to wash buses daily with potable water as a lot of water is wasted this way,” Diggikar said.
While Mumbai received heavy rainfall on Wednesday, the catchment areas received only light drizzle. Till afternoon, Modak Sagar received 17 mm of rainfall, Tansa 10 mm, Upper Vaitarna 6 mm and Bhatsa 3 mm.
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