Taps running dry: NMC restricts water supply to many areas

Nagpur: With water storage in Kanhan river and Totladoh reservoir depleting with every passing day, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has restricted supply to many areas to save the city from facing one of its worst water crisis.
“The city is going through a torrid time and water woes are far from over as the NMC is able to supply only 690 million litres daily (MLD) as the against the capacity of over 740 MLD per day,” admitted a senior official.
The NMC water works department (WWD) is currently supplying tap water for only an hour a day in many areas.
NCP corporator Duneshwar Pethe has appraised municipal commissioner Abhijeet Bangar of the impending water crisis in the city, especially in east and north Nagpur. “Apart from low pressure supply, many residents of north Nagpur were getting contaminated water,” Pethe alleged.
On May 13, mayor Nanda Jichkar, ruling party leader Sandip Joshi, leader of opposition Tanaji Wanve, former mayor and senior BJP corporator Pravin Datke, water works committee chairman Vijay Zalke, Bangar along with officials of WWD and Orange City Water (OCW) will visit the water treatment plants at Kanhan and Pench reservoir to assess the current storage at both the places.
Sources said that despite water crisis, NMC has not yet initiated any measures to bring down high water losses, which are over 50%. Also, no steps have been taken to prevent citizens from misusing water.
Due to rationing of water supply, many residents have started using booster pumps illegally to draw excess water. This is rampant in north, east, south and central Nagpur.
“There are many under-construction structures across the city where water is being drawn through bore well or wells. This must stop immediately,” said Rohit Sahare, a resident of Nara in north Nagpur.
“The city is going through a water crisis and we need to save every drop. We have no other option but to take action against those installing booster pumps,” said a senior official from WWD.
A joint team of OCW-NMC launched a crackdown at all residential localities where booster pumps are being used. On Friday, around 10 booster pumps — three each from Lakadganj and Ashi Nagar, four from Satranjipura and one from Nehru Nagar zones — were seized.
“We are trying to manage water in a way that it should last till June end. Booster pumps in some areas are sucking more water at the cost of other law abiding residents who are not getting sufficient water,” the official said.
The drive against booster pumps is currently restricted to only the slum areas. “The NMC will file a criminal complaint against those found using booster pumps,” the official said.