Mumbai Has A Water Crisis Looming. How Prepared Is The 'Maximum City'?

The recent strike by water tanker owners laid bare the city's dependence on them, shattering the illusion that Mumbai solely relies on water from its surrounding lakes. As towering skyscrapers multiply, so does the demand for water. Groundwater supplied by tankers has now become the city's second most vital source of water, and its significance is only increasing with time.

For many Mumbai residents, the week began in distress as their taps ran dry. Those with the means resorted to buying bottled water for consumption and cooking, but water scarcity hindered other household chores. Many residential buildings lack sufficient water supply from the BMC and rely on water tankers to make up for the deficit. Despite the city requiring 4,200 million litres of water per day, the BMC only supplies 3,850 million litres daily, leaving the remaining supply to the roughly 2,000 tankers drawing water from borewells. Unfortunately, these tankers went on strike recently, lodging their protest against the implementation of stringent and impractical regulations, such as the requirement to purchase land for groundwater extraction, and only allowing a fixed number of tankers to access the water. 

The strike caused inconvenience for commercial establishments, five-star hotels, infrastructure projects, and residential societies. The strike ended on Tuesday after the government intervened.

A decade ago, satellite towns, including Mira Road, Bhayandar, Vasai and Virar, were totally dependent on water tankers. The media attributed this dependence to the "tanker mafia", describing a nexus between tanker lobbyists, politicians, and criminals that ensured the continuance of the business.

Mumbai's population has seen a steady growth, but the amount of water supplied by the BMC remains the same. This makes it obvious that tankers will remain a crucial source of water for the city.

Recently, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed concerns about drought-like conditions in the state due to the possibility of an El Nino event in the Pacific Ocean, which could affect rainfall in Maharashtra. If this happens, Mumbaikars should brace themselves for water cuts and higher tanker water prices.

Mumbai is likely to be hit by two opposite water-related impacts of global warming in the long run. While several studies indicate that a significant part of the city will be submerged in the next three decades, a few years will witness deficient rainfall. It is possible that Mumbai may face the Day Zero scenario, which has plagued other plates worldwide, such as Cape Town, São Paulo, California, and even Chennai in our own country.

Given the unpredictable weather events occurring globally, Mumbai needs a long-term plan and alternative sources of water supply. A century ago, Mumbai had multiple water sources, with numerous wells throughout the city. Sadly, during British rule, municipal authorities ordered their closure to contain the plague epidemic. Thus, several wells vanished from Mumbai's landscape. One option is to permit wells again, subject to clearance by the health experts.

The BMC plans to construct a desalination plant in Manori, a western suburb of Mumbai. Soon, Mumbaikars could drink desalinated seawater, a technique commonly used in countries such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait to meet their water requirements.

Despite Mumbai being India's most expensive city, people struggle to access basic amenities. Nevertheless, Mumbai's opportunities outweigh its challenges, prompting more people to migrate and placing more pressure on the already overburdened water supply and transportation systems. The city's authorities must take immediate action to tackle this issue.

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