Water cuts in Thane to pinch consumers

THANE: Residents are facing inconvenience after the TMC has resumed 24 hours water cuts starting every Wednesday morning following rationalization orders of supply from the state irrigation department. The cuts have been imposed after a recent study of water levels in the reservoirs revealed that there was inadequate stock left for 24-hour supply till the arrival of the next monsoons.
Following the cuts, areas including Pachpakhadi, Naupada, Wagle Estate, Shrinagar, Kolshet, Balkum, Kalwa, Vitawa, Kharegaon, Mumbra-Kausa, etc will be affected. The officials have further cautioned of supply with low pressure in these areas for the next two days following the water cuts.
Residents have had to bear water cuts as the TMC had finalized 30 % water cuts to be implemented from November 1 across the city last month. "Its is difficult to manage the show at home as the water flow takes nearly two more days to regularise after the cuts are imposed. The TMC must come up with an alternativeand spare us from the water cuts," said Sulekha Inamdar, a housewife from Kalwa.
A review of water stock available in the reservoirs in the district by the irrigation department revealed that there was inadequate volume to last till the next monsoon. Nearly 1.30 lakh domestic consumers and 4700 commercial units in Thane require 470 million litres of water daily in Thane. Officials said water cuts were necessitated to ensure the supply was sustained till the first week of June when the rains are expected usually.
“The rains were deficient this year and the water scarcity is looming large on the city, we have finalized a 30% cut for the city after discussions with the irrigation department. A supply chart is being worked upon following which the same will be implemented from November 1,” said a senior official from the water supply department.
Barvi and Bhatsa dams that are major sources of water for Thane have inadequate volume to last till the next monsoons. At the end of season, Barvi has just 89.19 per cent water while the Bhatsa dam is barely filled with 81.37% of its capacity. Several agencies including the STEM, BMC, MIDC supply 470 mld water to Thane city.