Mumbai, April 9: The fishermen community in Mumbai has raised alarm over the rapid salinisation of freshwater wells in Mumbai’s historic Koliwadas, blaming large-scale coastal infrastructure projects and unregulated dredging for the crisis.
Fishing community flags growing water crisis
The Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Kriti Samiti (AMMKS), in a representation to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra government, sought immediate action to address what it described as a growing threat to the traditional water sources of the Koli community.
Sanjay Koli, general secretary of AMMKS, said that decades of “open-sea” projects had already impacted fish catch and were now endangering drinking water.
“For centuries, the Koli community has depended on freshwater wells. Today, these wells are turning brackish at an alarming rate. This is not a natural phenomenon but a direct consequence of major coastal developments such as the Mumbai Coastal Road and indiscriminate deepening of shipping channels,” he said.
Damage to natural underground barriers
The organisation pointed to damage beneath the seabed as a key factor. Devendra Damodar Tandel, president of AMMKS, explained that a natural underground barrier, known as an aquitard, helps keep freshwater separate from seawater.
“Dredging and piling activities have punctured this natural seal, leading to large-scale saltwater intrusion. Groundwater is leaking into the sea, while seawater is entering inland aquifers,” he said.
Impact on livelihoods and agriculture
Citing global research, the body noted that coastal excavation disrupts submarine groundwater discharge — underground freshwater flows that empty into the sea.
Such disruptions, it said, are drawing saltwater further inland, affecting wells in Koliwadas, damaging small-scale agriculture such as coconut and betel leaf cultivation, and increasing dependence on inconsistent municipal water supply.
Demand for scientific assessment and action
The AMMKS has demanded a GIS-based survey of wells across Mumbai’s Koliwadas, scientific mapping of underground freshwater systems, and mandatory hydrogeological audits for all coastal projects.
It has also called for the creation of a dedicated fund to restore and desalinate affected wells through sustainable urban water management practices.
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“The BMC cannot claim to be developing Mumbai while undermining the basic water security of its oldest communities,” Tandel said, warning of further agitation if corrective steps are not taken.
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