Thane to cut water supply by 10% every Wednesday over El Nino concerns

The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) will cut water supply by 10 per cent across its area every Wednesday. The precautionary step has been taken to conserve existing water stock, given fears that El Nino could set in and create drought-like conditions.

Under a revised water management plan, supply will stay shut for 24 hours in several parts of Thane. The shutdown will run from 9 am on Wednesday to 9 am on Thursday. It will be carried out through the civic body's own water network and through STEM Water Distribution and Infrastructure Company Pvt. Ltd.

The decision follows a directive from the state government. The directive asks local bodies to use water resources carefully amid concerns over changing weather and to give drinking water first priority. The state government's resolution calls for planned and prudent use of water stock across Maharashtra until August 31, 2027.

The first shutdown will begin at 9 am on Wednesday, October 28, and run until 9 am on Thursday, October 29. It is expected to affect many residential and commercial areas.

The areas where supply will be shut include Ghodbunder Road, Lokmanya Nagar, Vartak Nagar, Saket, Ritu Park, Jail, Gandhi Nagar, Rustomjee, Siddhanchal, Indira Nagar, Rupadevi, Shree Nagar, Samata Nagar, Siddheshwar, Eternity, Johnson, and parts of Mumbra and Kalwa. Other places may also be affected.

Residents of these areas may face disruption to daily supply during the shutdown. Homes, shops and offices that depend on water from the corporation's network will have to plan their use accordingly. The corporation has asked people to make arrangements in advance and use stored water judiciously, so that the shutdown causes the least inconvenience.

The cut is part of a wider effort to preserve the availability of drinking water in Maharashtra. The state government has asked municipal corporations and other concerned authorities to plan the distribution and use of water stock keeping in mind the possible impact of El Nino. According to the directive, officials must adopt measures that reduce the risk of scarcity and ensure water is used according to the priority of need. The directions will remain in force until August 31, 2027.

The corporation has appealed to people not to waste water and to cooperate with the administration in this weekly measure. Residents have been advised to store only as much water as they need for essential household work, and not to waste water before the shutdown or after supply resumes. Since water availability may decline in the coming months, the corporation has also stressed the responsible use of available water.