As tankers’ strike begins, Mumbai housing societies forced to pay ‘up to 2x’ for water

Mumbai: The first day of the water tankers’ strike plunged many housing societies into crisis on Monday even as tanker operators held a meeting with the tehsildar seeking the CM’s intervention.

The office bearers of many housing societies alleged that some operators are exploiting the situation by inflating costs. “We are facing a serious water shortage. Earlier, a 20,000-litre tanker cost around Rs 3,200 to Rs 4,000, but now vendors are demanding about Rs 5,500 with no guarantee of supply. One vendor categorically said supply can only be managed at this rate. We have 204 flats with around 1,200 residents. We need two water tankers a day,” said Madhu Vannier, secretary of Evershine Cosmic Housing Society in Andheri West.

Some other housing societies, like Jolly Maker 1 in Cuffe Parade, activated emergency protocols. It told residents that to conserve water and ensure that essential requirements are met, supply would be turned off at 7pm and restored only at 6.30am the next day. According to the society, it received only about 50% of the supply from BMC on Monday and the tanker strike added to the shortfall. It urged residents to use water sparingly and avoid any non-essential consumption so long as the strike is on.

According to Dhaval Shah of Andheri Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens’ Association, those living at the fag end of a water supply pipeline are mostly dependent on water tankers. He alleged that a 20,000-litre water tanker is now being charged Rs 6,500, double the usual rate.

Mumbai Water Tanker Association (MWTA) has suspended services owing to notices issued to well operators and water suppliers by revenue authorities and BMC and to protest the “harsh and selective implementation” of Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) rules exclusively in Mumbai.

Mumbai requires 4,665 million litres per day (MLD) of water daily but gets only 4,100 MLD from BMC. According to Mumbai Water Tanker Association, 550 MLD, including non-potable water, is supplied through tankers. A 10% water cut is in place owing to fears of a weak monsoon.

Zubin Contractor, a resident of Jolly Maker 1, said the crisis had begun well before Monday. “For around 30 hours beginning Friday night, there was no water, with no update on when supply would resume.” He said for the last several years, they have had to hire water tankers very often and 15-20 tankers are called on an average almost every day.

Alleging that buildings in the vicinity of Jolly Maker 1 get adequate supply, Contractor said, “Our building with a much higher density of residents compared to neighbouring buildings has been highly dependent on tankers for years. But not them. Why are we being treated differently by BMC when it comes to water supply?”

Ankur Sharma, MWTA’s spokesperson, said at the meeting with the tehsildar, tanker operators sought a written assurance that no legal action would be initiated against those failing to meet CGWA norms. “But the tehsildar could not provide it. We want the CM to intervene on our behalf to seek an amendment from the Centre to the CGWA rules.”