Thane, December 9: After Mumbai witnessed a 15 percent water cut earlier this week, residents of Thane are set to face an even steeper reduction in supply. The Thane Municipal Corporation has announced a 30 percent water cut across the city with effect from Tuesday, placing lakhs of citizens under severe water stress.
The major disruption follows a breakdown in the 1000 mm diameter water pipeline that supplies water to Thane from Pise Dam to the Temghar Water Treatment Plant. The pipeline reportedly burst at Kalyan Phata on the morning of Saturday, December 6, during ongoing work being carried out by Mahanagar Gas.
Old Pipeline and Ongoing Repairs
As per Maharashtra Times, Officials from the water supply department said that repair work has been underway on a war footing for the last two days. However, restoring full supply is expected to take at least three more days as the damaged pipeline is old and made of pre stressed concrete.
Due to the scale of the damage, water supply to Thane has already been significantly reduced. Civic officials stated that the fragile condition of the pipeline has further complicated the repair process.
Zoning System Till December 11
To ensure that the available water is distributed as evenly as possible, the civic body will now supply water on a zoning basis till December 11. As a result, residents in many areas will experience intermittent water supply and low pressure at different times of the day.
The municipal corporation has advised citizens to store sufficient water for essential use over the next few days and to use water sparingly to avoid further hardship.
Daily Life Set to Be Disrupted
The sudden and sharp reduction in water supply is expected to impact daily activities across households, residential societies, eateries and commercial establishments. From cooking and cleaning to drinking water needs, citizens are likely to face significant inconvenience.
Meanwhile, parts of Mumbai also faced an eight hour water cut on Sunday following major pipeline repairs. A 15 percent cut has been implemented there since December 8, affecting supply in 14 sections of the city. However, officials acknowledged that the situation in Thane is more critical due to the higher percentage of reduction across the entire city.