Cuffe Parade residents have been getting less water from August

The BMC might have just announced the 10 per cent water cuts, but residents of Cuffe Parade claim they have been suffering from water shortages right from August this year.

"We have been getting much lesser water than what we used to until August this year. As a result, the buildings in our areas have been calling for four to 10 tankers daily, depending on the number of flats housed in it," said Padmakar Nandekar, Secretary General, Cuffe Parade Residents Association and resident of Jal Kiran building in Cuffe Parade. Nandekar said his own building has been calling for four tankers daily; it has around 60 flats.

He added, "The water shortage in our area started in August. We have been getting less water ever since the slums in the area were accorded separate supply. "Residents said that earlier they would get water supply for nearly one and half hours during the day, which was cut drastically to 45 minutes.

"We were told that the water pressure will be increased. However, that did not happen. The only time supply improved was two weeks before Dilwali, then it went back to how it used to be," said Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, Varuna Premises Cooperative Society. The society said they had to call for tankers despite a number of flats being empty.

Residents said that daily water needs were burning a hole in their pockets. "Each tanker costs Rs 1,000. That apart, we have also had to purchase packaged water because the tanker water is not potable. A number of residents are calling for mineral water too, because tanker water stinks and may be contaminated," said Agarwal.

Kiran Dighavkar, Assistant Municipal Commissioner, A ward, did not respond to a message from DNA.