Mumbai will continue to face water shortage for the next two years, this even with the hope of getting additional 250 million litres per day (mld) water from Navi Mumbai and Bhatsa dam. The laying of pipelines to get the water supply from the limits of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation to Mumbai and additional lines to carry supply from Bhatsa is to be blamed for the shortage as work on the same will be completed only by 2011.

With a shortfall of 650 mld water which goes waste due to leakages and thefts, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had approached the NVMC and the state government for additional water supply. Although, both the authorities have responded positively for the supply with 150 mld from NVMC and 100 mld from Bhatsa, the actual water will start flowing only by 2011.

"A 25- km pipeline has to be laid from Washi to Mankhurd for supply from Navi Mumbai and this work will take at least a year and half to be complete,"said additional municipal commissioner (projects), Anil Diggikar.

Although the BMC draws 60 per cent of its water from the state's Bhatsa dam, civic officials from the water supply said that additional pipeline will have to be laid for the extra 100 mld water. "The existing pipelines are exhausted with the water supply and for any new supply different waterlines will have to be laid," he said. The civic administration is already setting up a 12-km pipeline in the eastern suburbs between Mulund and Amarmahal (near Chembur) and only when this work is completed can additional water from Bhatsa be lifted. "Without a proper network we cannot start the supply of water from NVMC or Bhatsa," he said.

The ruling Shiv Sena had said that supply of extra water is necessary in Mumbai owing to the increasing demand and although the construction of Middle Vaitarna dam has began-it will provide 455 mld-it will be completed only in 2011. "We therefore have to look for other sources of water," Sena leader and Standing committee chairman Ravindra Waikar had said.

Mumbai currently receives 3350 mld of water when the demand is 4200 mld. Around 650 mld of water is wasted due to leakage and thefts. Only two months back, BMC had announced that building constructions requiring supply of two lakh litres per day will not be given water connections till 2011. And for constructions whose demand is less than two lakh litres per day, 45 litres per person per day instead of the present national norm of 90 litres per person per day. Sena had also asked BMC to stop providing water for construction of large skyscrapers and high rises, however the demand was rejected.

Meanwhile, BMC has proposed an awareness campaign amongst citizens to save water. Diggikar said that citizens will be told not to waste water. Similarly bore wells will be constructed this year to solve water shortage during summer season.