To meet the growing demand of water in Mumbai the BMC has decided to invite tenders to appoint contractors for the sea water desalination project. According to the senior officer of BMC, the tenders may be floated in 15 days.
Population of Mumbai is increasing every year. Many commercial offices, hotels and service industries are working in Mumbai. Many residential projects of private builders and Dharavi redevelopment projects are in progress therefore it is inevitable for BMC to search for a new source of water supply. At present there are seven lakes which augment the thirst of Mumbaikars.
P Velrasu, Additional Commissioner (Project) said, "Tender documents are ready and it will be submitted soon for the final approval and tenders can be invited within the next 15 days."
Desalination is the process through which mineral and salt components of the sea water get separated and make it potable water. BMC has selected a place at Manori near Malad to set up a plant. The BMC has earmarked the 12 hectares for the plant. According to BMC officers the project is eco-friendly and it will be solar powered to run. Estimated cost of the project is Rs 13,028 crore. Once the work order is given to the contractor he has to complete it in the next four years.
There are seven dams Upper Vaitarna, Modak Sagar, Tansa, Madhya Vaitarna, Bhatsa, Vihar and Tulsi to augment the thirst of Mumbaikars. The total strength of the lakes is 14 lakh 47 million litres.
The BMC supplies 3,850 million litre water daily to the citizens for potable use. However, the actual demand per day is 4,200 million litres. The hydraulic department of the BMC from time to time reviews available water stock and draws water plans for the year.
Every year during the months of May and June, the civic body rushes to the state government to get permission to use reserve water stock which is at Bhatsa and upper Vaitarna. This year, the water level of all lakes had dipped by 8 per cent. Therefore, the BMC declared a 10 per cent water cut in Mumbai. Later, when the heavy rainfall occurred in July, the civic body withdrew water cuts after 12 days.
