Maharashtra cities heading for water cuts? State mulls 10% cut amid drought

As concerns grow over an inadequate monsoon and rising temperatures, the Mumbai civic body, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), is taking steps to revive wells across the city to supplement water resources. The revitalization of Mumbai's groundwater reserves has accelerated with the state government declaring drought in 265 of Maharashtra's 358 tehsils, or administrative districts, which accounts for three-quarters of the state.

Surrounded by the sea on three sides, Mumbai relies heavily on rainfall from the southwest monsoon for its water needs, drawing its potable and industrial water from seven lakes that are refilled during the monsoon season. Prior to the construction of these lakes, Mumbai sourced water from a network of borewells and dug wells, which served as the primary water supply until water schemes and dams were developed in the late 1860s, making wells a secondary source.

Recently, groundwater resources have deteriorated due to pollution from sewage and saline water intrusion. However, with El Niño climatic patterns causing below-average rainfall and warmer weather through February, the BMC is now prioritizing the revival of wells as alternative water sources to ensure a sufficient supply until the next monsoon season in 2027.

The well revival project is being carried out at the ward level through the hydraulic department, funded based on pre-approved rates. The plans include desilting wells to increase their capacity and reopening natural streams within the wells to allow water flow from the underground water bed. Many wells have been abandoned over the past decades, causing their natural streams to become blocked with silt, which restricts water flow and decreases the wells' capacity.

According to an official, the restoration will be carried out across 3,000 wells identified in the suburban and island city divisions. Apart from restoring existing wells, the BMC is also planning to construct 10,000 new recharge structures to extract groundwater for potable and industrial use. The agency has engaged the All India Institute of Local Self Government to study salinization levels of groundwater resources in Mumbai due to concerns about coastal water intrusion into the groundwater bed.

The consultant will examine water samples from wells throughout the city and provide a detailed roadmap to mitigate salination, which renders water unfit for human consumption. The ultimate goal is to desalinate groundwater resources to increase access to fresh water before the upcoming summer season, when the city may face above-normal temperatures and rapid depletion of lake levels.