No additional 200mld water daily from Oct 1 for Mumbaites

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's tall claim of providing additional 200 million litres water daily to city from October 1 seems to be falling flat. Hydraulic officials, however, put the blame on less water stock in lakes and incomplete infrastructure projects.

"As of Sunday, we have 12,59,004 million litres water stock in all lakes, including Middle Vaitarana. At present, we are providing 3450mld water supply to the city and to continue the same till July 15 next year, we need to have 12,83,000 million litres water stock on October 1," said an official from the hydraulic department.

The BMC, at present, supplies 3450mld  water to city as against its demand of 4,200 mld, which is short of 750 mld. "We will be able to provide additional 200 MLD water to city only if the work of a tunnel and water treatment plant at Bhandup is complete," added the official.

However, the officials from water supply projects department said the work will be completed in March 2013.

In May this year, the BMC had announced about an additional water supply of 455 million litres to the city from September. Later, the BMC officials blamed the public works department (PWD), in August, for incomplete work of a bridge and stated that it would be able to provide only 200 MLD water from October 1.

"We have already increased the daily water supply in August last year from 3,350 MLD to 3,450 MLD, which forced us to utilize the reserve water stock in June and July this year. So, the focus will be on providing normal water supply throughout the year," the official said. 

Ramesh Bamble, hydraulic engineer, said, "The final decision considering all the aspects will be taken in a review meeting on October 1."