Mumbaikars will get water, but it will cost more

Considering the city’s burgeoning population and its ageing water supply network, municipal commissioner Subodh Kumar has decided to put water supply projects on the fast track. On the flip side, though, this may lead to an escalation in operational costs.

At present, the cost of operation and maintenance is Rs287 crore per year. However, it may increase by Rs544 crore after the completion of the Middle Vaitarna, Gargai and Pinjal projects, the three crucial projects that the BMC is hoping to complete by 2021.

The water projects will have an implication on the BMC’s production cost as well. At present, the BMC spends Rs11.30 per thousand litres of water. Kumar said that the production cost will go up to Rs13.31 once the Middle Vaitarna project completes by 2013-14. It will once again go up to Rs20.47 once the Gargai project is completed by 2019-20. After the completion of the Pinjal project in 2021-22, the cost will further escalate to Rs21.01. These rising costs would cost the end consumer, but the civic chief has not specified if the tariff hikes will be in similar proportions.

At present, the BMC supplies water to domestic consumers at a heavily subsidised cost of Rs3.50 per 1,000 litres. The commissioner has already specified that it cannot continue to give such heavy subsidies and that the consumers will have to pay more.

The civic body has also proposed to start a large-scale programme to detect leakages in the supply network to ensure water does not go waste. A pilot project for this programme has been undertaken with the help of a private firm. It has started in Parel ward, and the BMC has earmarked Rs10 crore for it.

Commissioner also assured that work for replacing old pipelines with new tunnels will be completed as per schedule. This will further reduce leakages. “With no leakages, round the clock water supply will be possible,” said Kumar.

The Mumbai IV water project is scheduled to be completed by 2012. It will provide 455mld of water. The cost of the project is about Rs1,583 crore. The BMC envisages diverting water from Damanganga river in Gujarat to Pinjal river in Thane. This could add 2,400mld. It has also expedited the Gargai project, which may bring 440 MLD water to the city. The cost of this project is Rs2,700 crore.