BMC to increase water supply by 77% in next 25 years

Keeping in mind the city's burgeoning population and daily influx of thousands of migrant, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has promised an additional water supply of 2,891 million litre per day (MLD) by 2040. The extra water will be made available through its four upcoming dam projects. Currently, Mumbai receives a supply of 3,750 MLD.

The civic body's proposed two dams at Gargai and Pinjal in Palghar's Wada and Jawhar talukas respectively is in the process of procuring environmental clearances. Similarly, the two reservoirs – Damanganga-Pinjal (river-linking project) – will be constructed in Nashik's Bhugad district and Palghar's Behadpada, which is also in the Jawhar taluka.

The BMC has sent a proposal to the Centre to recognise Damanganga-Pinjal as a national project, and is awaiting a reply from Delhi. The corporation will implement the project with the help of National Water Development Authority (NWDA). As per a NWDA report, the project will take at least eight years to complete, after work on it commences. It will provide a water supply of 1,586 MLD to the city.

NWDA has appointed a consultant to study the feasibility of the project. A senior official said, "We are awaiting the consultant's report on the Damanganga-Pinjal project. The Gargai-Pinjal project is awaiting environmental and other clearances." Land acquisition and rehabilitation of displaced people will be the the major challenges for the BMC.

Under the Gargai-Pinjal project, the civic body will also construct a 64-km tunnel for supplying water to Gundavali, from where it will reach the rest of the city. The dam, which will be constructed on the Pinjal river of the Gargai-Pinjal project at a cost of Rs 14,390 crore, will provide Mumbai with an additional water supply of 865 MLD water.

Similarly, the cost of the dam which will be constructed on the Gargai river of the same project has been estimated at Rs1,820 crore and will provide the city with an additional water supply of 440 MLD.

Senior civic officials from the water supply projects department informed that the work on the two dams of the Gargai-Pinjal project is expected to start by 2017-18 and expected to complete by 2025-26.

At present, the city receives 3,750 MLD of water everyday, however, the demand is more than 4,250 MLD per day. Seven lakes, which are, Modak Sagar, Tansa, Vihar, Tulsi, Middle Vaitarna, Bhatsa and Upper Vaitarna currently supply water to the city.

1,300 MLD in 8 yrs
The Gargai and Pinjal dams are expected to supply 440 and 865 million litres of water per day respectively. The dams are estimated to take at least eight years to be built, once construction commences. Both projects will cost about Rs16,000.