Civic body announces 20% water cut in Mumbai due to low levels in reservoirs

Mumbai: The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) on Wednesday imposed a 20 per cent water cut on the financial capital due to low levels in reservoirs. [caption id=“attachment_2374054” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] The decision, taken by the standing committee, will come into effect from midnight. The civic body in a statement said the duration of water supply to residential areas, and commercial and industrial establishments will be cut by 20 per cent effective midnight. Apart from that, there will be 50 per cent cut in supply to large users like swimming pools, malls and air conditioning plants. Additionally, water supplied to the Thane and Bhiwandi civic bodies in the vicinity of the city will also be cut by 20 per cent, it said. The MCGM statement said the water levels in reservoirs are 28 per cent lower than the same period last year, and 25 per cent lower when compared to the the average between 2005-2014. The civic body is monitoring the situation on a daily basis and the exact picture of how the year will evolve can be taken only after October 1, when the annual monsoon showers that feed the catchment areas around the city, retreat, it said. Large swathes of the state, including the backward Marathwada region, are reeling under a drought-like spell due to scarce rainfall. Even before the retreat of the annual monsoon season, thousands of villages are already dependent on water tankers. PTI