Mumbai: Activists demand 50 per cent rebate on water charges in light of cut

Members of Watchdog Foundation during the morcha outside the K East ward office in Andheri East on Monday

Amid the imposition of the 15 per cent water cut across the city, civic activists have demanded a 50 per cent rebate in water charges and that the water supply to swimming pools be stopped. Meanwhile, civic officials claimed that recycled water is being used for public swimming pools.

On Saturday, mid-day highlighted how the city was struggling to cope with the shortage of water. Citizens claim that they are getting half the water they usually received after the cut was imposed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

A resident of Ambawadi in Dahisar East stores water on Saturday. File pic/Nimesh Dave

An organisation Watchdog Foundation on April 10 held an agitation outside the K East ward office at Andheri East in over the issue. "The BMC is claiming there is a 15 per cent water cut in the city. But on the ground level, we are facing more water cuts," said Godfrey Pimenta, trustee of Watchdog Foundation.

"The citizens of K East Ward, particularly in the gaothans of Sahar, Marol, Chakala, Gundavli, Bamanwada, Bamanpuri and other areas, are facing harrowing times due to the water cut implemented by the BMC," he said.

Also read: How Mumbai is dealing with '15 per cent water cut'

Nicholas Almeida, another trustee, said, "The water is being supplied at low pressure. As a result, residents are facing tremendous problems. As such, we hereby lodge our strong protest against this curtailment of water supply by organising a morcha at the ward office."

Pimenta demanded that the BMC sanction a 50 per cent rebate on water bills. "Supply water with sufficient pressure. Also, all the operation of all swimming pools in the city must be stopped forthwith and all pipelines supplying water to the city must be technically audited to plug major leakages in the future." He added, "The nexus between private goods owners and tanker operators is causing severe groundwater depletion."

Meanwhile, BMC officials claimed that water isn't changed frequently at civic-run swimming pools. "We just filter water and use recycled water," an official claimed.
He added, "There are eight civic-run swimming pools. Every pool has a capacity of around 70 to 90 lakh litres. If calculated, the entire water is changed only once a year. Also, few pools don't use potable water."

A senior official, on the condition of anonymity, said that it is not possible to give a 50 per cent rebate on water charges. "Also it is not possible to stop the supply of water to certain users," he stated.

10 April
Day Watchdog Foundation held protest