In a massive overhaul of the water supply infra in areas eastern suburbs the BMC has invited Rs 100 crore tender to primarily replace old pipelines, among other works.
Khushi Shah – Mumbai Uncensored, 6th June 2022
On any given day, 4173 million litres of water flows towards Mumbai. It travels through 650 km of transmission pipes and 6000 km of service pipes, to eventually provide just 2300 million litres for its residents. The difference 1,900 MLD is lost due to a variety of reasons, including leakage, thefts, dysfunctional or rigged water meters and non-metered municipal connections.
The BMC has been looking for ways to augment water supply to the city, and is giving top priority to the project meant to tackle a perennial problem with its 290-km distribution network leakages. It is due to leakages and unauthorised connections, almost 25 per cent of water supplied to the city is wasted daily. The leakage problem also poses a threat to the health of citizens, especially if the pipeline passes along the sewage system.
In a massive overhaul of the water supply infra in areas of Ghatkopar, Bhandup, Vikhroli and Kanjurmarg the BMC has invited Rs 100 crore tender to primarily replace old pipelines, among other works.
This mega 100 crore solution project came after the civic body’s announcement of this ‘water for all’ policy.
On May 1, 2022 Guardian Minister Aaditya Thackeray on Monday announced that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will implement its water for all policy in Mumbai with an aim to provide water connection to all unmapped slum clusters in the city.
The civic body supplies 3,850 million litre water everyday through a 6,000-km long pipeline network. Ideally, the loss percentage should not be more than 15 per cent of the total supply.
The policy’s implementation is a difficult task in Vikhroli, Bhandup and Kurla as these places have a large number of slums, hilly areas and unauthorised constructions. And, the illegal pilferage of water is more in these places hence the BMC would have to strengthen its pipelines, said the civic officials.
Mumbai gets water from six lakes — Modak Sagar, Tansa, Tulsi, Upper Vaitarna, Bhatsa and Vihar — through major tunnels and pipelines. However, as the distribution and supply system is now 100 years old, repairs are urgently required.
The BMC had set aside Rs 253 crore in its 2007 budget, Rs 100 crore in its 2008 budget and Rs 100 crore in its 2009 budget to replace the pipelines.
Much of the BMC’s current efforts to reduce leakage concentrates on replacing infrastructure. 78 kms of pipeline, 461 valve chambers and 13,700 service connections are set to be renewed.
