Water cuts bring double trouble

The consistent water cuts in the western suburbs are forcing residents to take to the streets. Residents of Juhu Tara Road staged a street-protest last morning due to the acute water shortage.

Water cuts bring double trouble

The consistent water cuts in the western suburbs are forcing residents to take to the streets. Residents of Juhu Tara Road staged a street-protest last morning due to the acute water shortage.

"There was a 24-hour water cut on Friday and Saturday.
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Even on Sunday there was hardly any water," complained a resident. The water supply was restored after a couple of hours of the protest.

However, the rest of the western suburbs are not as fortunate. Armed with buckets, Mumbaikars are making a beeline for private tankers to quench their daily supply of water.

With the acute shortage of water, private tankers have doubled their price.

A private water tanker supplier said, "The price of a tanker (well water) was about Rs 600-800. But with the increased demand it's now priced at Rs 2,000."

In demand

Such is the demand that the the tanker suppliers cannot entertain customers.

Shekhar Shetty, owner of Able Aqua tanker suppliers from Andheri (W), said, "The demand has gone up by 50 per cent. We have decided to stop taking advance booking and refuse calls after evening."

And the demand is much higher for drinking water, than well water tankers. "Two months back, the price for a tanker was Rs 2,400 (drinking water). We now sell it for Rs 8,000," said Shetty.

Hotels and commercial establishments, who are facing a 30 per cent water cut, are in a terrible mess.

"We cannot arrange water from tankers, as the cooking has to be done in purified water.

The tanker water is used only for cleaning," said Chandrahas Shetty, advisor of Association of Hotels and Restaurants.

The Other Side

Responding to the acute shortage of water supply, Deputy Municipal Commissioner Pramod Chharankar said, "The tender for acquiring private wells is yet to be issued. This will be done in a couple of days."