Navi Mumbai Water Cut After Morbe Dam Pipeline Leak, Supply to Normalise by January 10

A sudden Navi Mumbai water cut affected residents across the city and parts of Panvel on Thursday, January 9, after a leak developed in a major pipeline supplying water from Morbe Dam. The disruption left several areas with weak or dry taps for hours, prompting criticism of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) over delayed alerts during emergency repair work.

The water cut was caused by damage to a 2,050 mm main pipeline that carries treated water from Morbe Dam to Navi Mumbai and select Panvel Municipal Corporation areas. Officials said the pipeline stretches nearly 60 km, making pressure restoration a slow process even after repairs are completed. Regular water supply is expected to stabilise by Friday morning.

Morbe Dam Pipeline Leak Triggers Navi Mumbai Water Cut

The leak was detected near the Bhokarpada Water Treatment Plant, which plays a key role in supplying Morbe Dam water to Navi Mumbai. Following the discovery, engineers stopped water supply around 11 am and took up urgent repair work. Plant operations were fully suspended between 11:30 am and 4 pm to fix the damaged section.

During this period, large parts of Navi Mumbai experienced a severe water shortage. Areas such as Kharghar and Kamothe in the CIDCO belt reported dry taps, while parts of Panvel received water at very low pressure. Supply resumed gradually in the evening but remained restricted due to the long pipeline refilling process.

NMMC Response on Navi Mumbai Water Cut

Additional City Engineer Arvind Shinde said the breakdown occurred at a critical point in the water supply system, necessitating a temporary shutdown. He explained that although treatment plant operations restarted on Thursday afternoon, full pressure across households would be felt only by Friday morning once the pipeline and reservoirs stabilised.

NMMC appealed to residents to use stored water sparingly and cooperate with the temporary disruption. Officials stated that the repair was completed on the same day, but acknowledged that restoring water pressure across all neighbourhoods takes time.

Residents Criticise Lack of Timely Alerts

The Navi Mumbai water cut drew sharp reactions from residents, many of whom said they were not informed in advance. Several households reported difficulties in managing daily chores such as cooking and cleaning.

A resident, Aditya S, said the civic body failed to issue timely public announcements. "Lakhs of residents were caught unprepared and faced inconvenience throughout the day due to the lack of clear communication," he said.

By late evening on January 9, areas under NMMC and some parts of Panvel began receiving water at low pressure, as advised by civic officials. Normal water supply and timings are expected to resume from January 10, though residents on higher floors may continue to experience weaker pressure until local storage tanks are fully replenished.