Mumbai To Face 15% Water Cut Today, Says BMC — Here’s Why

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday announced a 24-hour water cut of 15 per cent in Mumbai for Tuesday, alongside the ongoing five per cent cut attributed to pre-monsoon maintenance activities. The civic body attributed the additional water cut across the city to insufficient water levels in the Pise Dam located in Thane district, news agency PTI reported.

In a statement released on Monday evening, the BMC announced that water supply would resume once the Dam, situated approximately 60 kilometres from the metropolis, replenishes its water reserves from the Bhatsa reservoir.

“A rubber bladder of one of the 32 gates of the Pise dam malfunctioned, resulting in water leakage from it on December 16. To repair the bladder, the dam’s water level had to be brought down to 31 metres, for which water supply from Bhatsa reservoir was regulated,” the release issued by the civic body was quoted by PTI in its report. 

“The rubber bladder has been repaired, but the dam level is not adequate for pumping of water to Mumbai via the treatment plant in Panjarpole. Water from Bhatsa reservoir has been released, but as it is 48 kilometres away from the (Pise) dam, it is expected to take time for the water to reach and bring it to adequate levels,” it further stated.

The BMC announced a five per cent water cut in Mumbai from March 15 to April 24 last week, citing upcoming cleaning operations at the Bhandup water purification plant, one of the largest in Asia.

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Initially, the civic body had suggested a ten per cent cut in view of the low lake levels. However, this measure was not implemented after assurances from the state government to manage the water shortage using its reserve stock.