Mumbai Water Crisis: Slum Clusters, Societies Brace For Shortage As Tankers Threaten Strike

Societies, slum areas, and large infrastructure projects in Mumbai may soon face a serious water shortage. The Mumbai Water Tankers Association (MWTA), which operates around 2,000 private tankers in the city, has announced it will stop services from April 10, according to a Hindustan Times (HT).

The decision comes after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) sent multiple notices to owners of borewells and ring wells. The civic body said that some of these wells were mosquito breeding spots or were being used without proper permission.

As per the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) rules made in 2020, well owners must get a No Objection Certificate (NOC) and a license. They also need to install digital water flow meters, provide regular groundwater reports, and ensure that the wells have an open space of at least 200 square metres around them.

The MWTA has said these rules are impossible to follow in a crowded city like Mumbai. "We don't have 200 square metres of free land around our wells. These rules can only work in villages, not in cities," said Ankur Sharma, the MWTA spokesperson. "We are ready to get the NOC and licence, but the rules must be practical."

Another problem is communication. The CGWA has offices only in Nagpur and Pune, and the tanker owners say they do not have any local officers to speak with.

A BMC official responded, saying the civic body had asked well owners to follow the guidelines since 2021. "We held several meetings with them and gave them time, but nothing was done," he said.

Currently, there is no limit on how much water the tankers can draw. The MWTA says they extract water depending on need and availability. However, under CGWA rules, each well can supply only 5 to 15 tankers a day, and each tanker holds about 10,000 litres.

The BMC says this cap helps stop salt water from entering fresh groundwater. The civic body also wants to track water use through digital meters and collect charges for groundwater usage. Although BMC permission letters to well owners clearly say wells should not be used commercially, this rule has never been enforced.

Mumbai needs 4,200 million litres of water each day. The BMC supplies about 3,850 MLD, and the remaining water is supplied by tankers from 385 private wells. This tanker water is crucial not just for homes but also for road works, metro projects, train cleaning, and maintenance of gardens and public spaces.

Sharma ended by saying, "We only supply non-potable water, not drinking water. So why should we need a licence or NOC at all?"

As the April 10 deadline nears, Mumbai could be staring at a serious water crisis unless a solution is found soon.