Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has declared that there will be a temporary water cut in Mumbai from 20th to 27th April, due to maintenance of essential water tunnels, which are critical to the city’s distribution network. The announcement affects every ward in south, central, and eastern Mumbai, but does not have a major percentage impact on water supply to residents. Therefore, BMC advises all residents to conserve water during this time period.

Why Did BMC Declare a Water Cut?

• Critical tunnel maintenance underway: BMC is performing technical activities, including charging, flushing, chlorination, and dechlorination of Water Tunnel Number 1 (AMT-1) and Water Tunnel Number 2 (AMT-2). These tunnels together account for a considerable proportion of the water supply in Mumbai, amounting to ~3,850 million liters per day (MLD).
• Infrastructure enhancement strategy: Tunnel Number 1 links Amar Mahal to Wadala and Parel, whereas Tunnel Number 2 provides water to Trombay reservoirs, catering to high-density areas. Research from the Central Water Commission indicates that maintenance can contribute towards efficiency improvements of 10-15%.
• Precautionary measures to prevent any disruption: According to specialists, preventive maintenance prevents pipeline ruptures and contaminations. WHO states that chlorination and dechlorination are necessary to ensure that the drinking water is safe in urban areas.
• Demand surge: The population of Mumbai stands above 20 million, and the demand per individual averages 135-150 liters/day.

Also Read: Study Finds Air Pollution May Increase Migraine Attacks

What Areas Will Experience Reduced Supply Due to the Water Cut?

• Suburbs in East affected: The wards affected include wards L (Kurla East), M East, M West, N, S, and T. The wards comprise both densely populated areas and industrial zones.
• Wards covered in South & Central Mumbai: The wards of A, B, C, E, F North, and F South have been included for reduced pressure or supply.
• Past disruptions indicate a pattern: Previously, a shutdown of about 18 hours on April 16-17 affected similar wards due to the construction of 1500 mm butterfly valves in Sewri.
• Size of impact: The impact is large because 5% reduction will affect millions of people in Mumbai, which operates at full capacity without any extra capacity.

Also Read: First Semiconductor SEZ In India Approved For Dholera

How Will This Impact Residents and What Should They Do?

The short-term reduction in supply could lead to low pressure, reduced supply hours, and possibly disrupt business operations, especially in areas with high population density. Hospitals, apartment buildings, and industries that rely on a continual supply of water may need to use storage or tankers to meet their needs. A study of urban infrastructure by the World Bank found that even small reductions in water supply in megacities can create a significant water demand stress of 20-30% because of uneven distribution.

Water cut in Mumbai will create temporary inconvenience; however, it signifies the beginning of a modernization of aging infrastructure and long-term global water security. Given the growing challenges of population/urbanization pressures and the variability of local climate, improving both the quantity and quality of water will continue to be critical to the sustainability of urban water systems.

Also Read: More Than Half Of Britain’s Butterfly Species Are In Decline, Monitoring Finds