Mumbai's water goes down the drain

Earlier, Bandra resident Rajnitkumar Deshmukh used to hose down his bike every week. But for the last three weeks, he has been using only a bucket of water to clean his bike. “I have realised that it is less messy too,” says Deshmukh, who had changed his ways after attending a seminar on water conservation by a local NGO

Parshura Housing Society in Andheri (West) has taken to recycling water by using wastewater in the garden that lies between the three buildings. The society now, says secretary HK Jaini, consumes at least 30% less water from the civic pipeline

These are just a few of the many citizen efforts to conserve water, but the city needs the same endeavour on a massive scale.

Study throws up disturbing facts on water loss
Mumbai loses a shocking 650 million litres of water every single day due to leaking pipes — this is the total of Pune’s total daily water supply — reveals a new study by Observer Research Foundation (ORF), Mumbai.

And, worse is that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) does not seem to have an immediate plan to cut down that figure.

“The BMC does not have a system to find and plug leakages. The corporation is making long-term plans to bring additional water to the city, but it should first curb the loss by controlling leakages and pipe bursts,” suggests Dhaval Desai, Research Fellow, ORF. His study, Time is running out — Does Mumbai have enough water? had been published in October.

The study reveals that most water is wasted when people leave the tap running while shaving and brushing their teeth, washing vehicles with hose pipes and drinking only half a glass of water in hotels.  

But this loss is not just on paper, it is affecting us through the occasional water cuts. While the BMC had revoked the 10% water cut on September 15 this year, Mumbaikars, especially those living in south Mumbai, are worried about dry taps.”We fear that if monsoon delays next year, we might have to face the water cuts again,” says Devras Mehta, who lives in Colaba.

Even those living close to the reservoirs — all located in the suburbs — express similar concerns. “In the last four years, we have experienced water cuts thrice, including this year. The BMC should take immediate steps to avoid such situations, else cuts will become the norm every year,” says Rajan Mehrotra, a resident of Andheri (West).

Need for sustained public awareness campaigns
Civic officials say they have plans to avoid cuts next year and there is enough water in the reservoirs to last until July 31, 2013.

But James John, coordinator of AGNI, points out: “By simply plugging leakages, we will be able to save lots of water, which could be used as an additional source. But there are no public awareness campaigns on conserving water.”

In July, the BMC had launched a campaign on these lines, but it had been put in cold storage. In 2010, the BMC had even roped in master blaster Sachin Tendulkar for a public awareness film on water conservation, but the enthusiasm was short-lived.

“We need to sustain such campaigns and citizens should be made to realise the importance of using water judiciously,” adds Mehrotra.

Citizens take initiatives for conservation
Thankfully, there are a few citizens who are aware of the need to conserve water. Resident associations and NGOs have come up with several localised initiatives that have been working well.

“There have been efforts by citizens and NGOs, but what is required is a citywide policy and a major push,” says Arindam Nair, a civic activist from Chembur.

A group of residents from Andheri (East) has come up with a few short-term measures such as keeping a tab on leaking pipelines. John says:
“If any volunteer finds a leakage, we inform the local ward officials about it. But, now, we are concentrating on creating public awareness about using water judiciously. Many citizens use potable water for secondary purposes, which is not acceptable.”

Then there are also instances of huge housing societies installing rainwater harvesting systems and recycling water projects that have been successful. “But such efforts need to be sustained at a larger level with a policy push,” Nair says.

What the BMC is doing to fix the problem
The water distribution system in Mumbai is more a century old. Water is brought into the city from seven lakes after treatment, and stored in 23 service reservoirs

The BMC is in the process of mapping out the entire supply system and identifying faulty lines. But this entire operation will take three-four years, says a civic official, who did not want to be named.

Admitting that a lot of precious water is being wasted through the old, leaking pipes, officials from the civic hydraulic department reveal that they are working setting up a water detection squad.

“At present, leaks are being plugged as and when we get complaints from citizens. But after the squad is formed, it will be given a mechanism to detect and repair leaks at the earliest. However, the proposal is still in the planning stage,” said a senior official from the hydraulic department.

The BMC has also decided to revive the water meters project by replacing the existing meters with new ones. Once this proposal, which has been in the pipeline for long, is implemented, the BMC will own and maintain consumer meters.
At present, except for the automated meter reading (AMR) facility meters installed by the BMC, most private water meters are bought and maintained by citizens.

The municipal body again started providing water meters to residential and commercial buildings in 2009. The project, however, was not viable as the BMC incurred heavy costs, with each AMR unit costing between Rs15,000 and Rs5 lakh. “The water meters will bring in more accountability and measure the flow,” explains a civic official.

Another of the BMC’s pilot project is the use of helium to detect leaks in pipes. In this method, the water supply pipelines are pressured with helium and leaks are identified by measuring its concentration; the highest concentration denotes a leak. A special rod is placed into the ground to track the place from where the helium is escaping. The civic workers then carry out repairs. “Being an inert gas, helium does not react with water,” explains a civic official on condition of anonymity.

In 2009, the municipal body had set up a rainwater harvesting cell that documented water wasted unknowingly across the city. It had also shared its study with resident associations and hotels to sensitise them. But, the project too did not take off.