Navi Mumbai Water Crisis: NMMC Enforces Strict Conservation Measures, Suspends Supply To Pools, Bottling Plants; Imposes Penalties Upto ₹1 Lakh

Navi Mumbai, June 18: Facing an escalating water shortage, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has rolled out a series of stringent conservation measures, including suspending water supply to car wash centres, swimming pools, aerated water and packaged drinking water bottling plants, while reducing supply to commercial establishments by 20 per cent.

Special enforcement teams have been deployed across the city to curb misuse of potable water. Municipal Commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde warned that anyone found using drinking water for vehicle washing, construction activities or other non-essential purposes will face a penalty of Rs 25,000 for the first offence, Rs 50,000 for the second offence and Rs 1 lakh for the third offence, in addition to possible criminal action.

"Every drop of water is precious. We appeal to citizens to use water responsibly and avoid wastage. Public cooperation is essential if we are to effectively overcome the looming water shortage," Dr Shinde said.

Stringent conservation measures

The civic body has also stepped up monitoring to prevent overhead water tanks in housing societies from overflowing. Water supply to high-consumption commercial and business establishments has already been reduced by 20 per cent, the commissioner said during a press conference.

As part of its contingency plan, NMMC has completed the cleaning, desilting and repair of 100 wells across the city. Water from these wells will be used for non-potable purposes, while another round of pumping and cleaning is scheduled over the next four days. In addition, 166 borewells have been repaired and are being used for public toilets and in select slum areas, where RO systems have been installed to provide drinking water.

The civic body is also expanding the use of treated wastewater for maintaining gardens, tree belts, open spaces, road medians and traffic islands. Drinking water supply to 154 locations in Nerul, Sanpada, Turbhe, Vashi and Airoli will be replaced with treated wastewater supplied through tankers. Treated water is already being used in 449 gardens across Nerul, Koparkhairane, Ghansoli and Airoli.

Focus on treated wastewater

"We have adopted a multi-pronged strategy to conserve potable water, including increased use of treated wastewater, strict enforcement against misuse, repair of wells and borewells, and reduction in non-essential consumption," Dr Shinde said.

Water connections provided for construction activities will be disconnected, and the use of treated wastewater for construction will be made mandatory. The civic body is also focusing on preventing unauthorised use of potable water at construction sites. Similarly, NMMT bus depots will now use treated water from sewage treatment plants for washing buses.

NMMC has further decided to discontinue water supply to aerated water and packaged drinking water bottling plants, while water supply to swimming pools will also be temporarily suspended. A mission-mode drive will be launched to identify and disconnect unauthorised water connections, and leakages in the water distribution network are being repaired on priority.

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Measures to remain till August

The administration is also considering reducing the current per capita water supply from 220 litres per capita per day (LPCD) to 175 LPCD. Additionally, rainwater harvesting is proposed to be made mandatory for all government and semi-government offices, housing societies and commercial buildings.

The measures will remain in force under NMMC's water management plan until August 31, as the civic body seeks to ensure adequate water availability until reservoir levels improve.

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