Navi Mumbai Wins First Prize At National Water Awards 2024

Navi Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has secured the First Prize in the Local Self-Government category at the 6th National Water Awards 2024, emerging as the country’s top-performing civic body in water conservation, recycling and urban water governance. The award was presented by President of India Droupadi Murmu at a ceremony held on Tuesday at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, where NMMC Commissioner and Administrator Dr. Kailas Shinde accepted the honour.

Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil, Ministers of State V. Somanna and Dr. Rajbhooshan Chaudhary, senior officials from the Department of Water Resources including Secretary V.L. Kantha Rao, and representatives of the Central Water Commission and Central Ground Water Board were present. Additional City Engineer Arvind Shinde attended the ceremony on behalf of NMMC.

According to the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Navi Mumbai was awarded the top position because it has developed a self-reliant and highly organised water supply system based on the Morbe Dam project, which ensures consistent water availability for the entire city. The city’s water distribution network is fully metered, enabling precise measurement of every drop supplied and ensuring efficient management.

NMMC has also implemented a transparent, fully digital billing system that supports efficient service delivery and has helped the corporation achieve a high revenue recovery rate of 96%, among the best in the country. The city treats 100% of the sewage it generates every day through its advanced sewage management network. This includes the use of state-of-the-art Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) technology across seven sewage treatment plants with a combined capacity of 454 MLD.

In addition, four tertiary treatment plants with a total capacity of 52.5 MLD produce high-quality recycled water using ultrafiltration and UV technologies. This recycled water is supplied to 64 industrial units through a formal agreement with MIDC, helping industries reduce dependence on potable water. The recycled water is also widely used across the city in ready-mix concrete plants, public gardens, beautified spaces, road medians, and fountains. It is used to operate dust-suppression vehicles and for the washing of city roads, and its use has been made mandatory at construction sites.

Navi Mumbai has also enabled the use of treated water for various non-potable household purposes. "The city is the first in India to introduce dual plumbing in all new buildings, ensuring that every new structure includes two separate water tanks and two independent pipeline networks—one for drinking water and the other for treated water used for flushing and other non-potable purposes," said NMMC spokesperson.

To minimise wastage, NMMC has implemented strong leakage-control measures, resulting in Non-Revenue Water levels that are even lower than the national benchmark of 20%.

The award is administered by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. This year, the ministry received 751 proposals from across India. These were first scrutinised by officials of the Water Resources Department, followed by field inspections conducted by the Central Water Commission and the Central Ground Water Board. A jury then evaluated all submissions using a transparent scorecard system before finalising the winners. Navi Mumbai stood first in the Local Self-Government category based on its comprehensive and sustainable water management practices.

The ministry noted that NMMC’s initiatives are closely aligned with national objectives under schemes such as AMRUT and Drink from Tap, and that the city has set a benchmark for sustainable urban water management and wastewater reuse.

“Navi Mumbai’s planned, efficient and sustainable water system has earned this prestigious national honour, raising the pride of the city,” said Commissioner Dr. Kailas Shinde, congratulating all residents. He acknowledged the continuous support and guidance of the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Ministers, Forest Minister, MP and MLAs, noting that their involvement played a significant role in NMMC’s success.

Dr. Shinde added that the achievement reflects the active participation and cooperation of Navi Mumbai’s citizens in water conservation and recycling. He emphasised that NMMC will continue to pursue long-term, strategic measures that prioritise sustainable development and future generations, with the expectation of ongoing public support.

With this award, Navi Mumbai has been recognised as a national model for modern, sustainable and technologically advanced urban water management, said NMMC.

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