Thane to switch off taps every Wednesday for a day from October 28 as El Nino worries grow

Residents of Thane will have to go without municipal water for a full day each week, starting Wednesday, October 28. The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has ordered a weekly shutdown as a precaution against a possible El Nino year and drought-like conditions. Reports describe the measure as a 10 per cent reduction in supply across the civic limits, delivered through a 24-hour closure in selected localities.

Each shutdown will start at 9 am on a Wednesday and end at 9 am on Thursday. It will apply to consumers served by the corporation's own pipelines as well as those who get water through STEM Water Distribution and Infrastructure Company Pvt. Ltd. The first round runs from 9 am on October 28 to 9 am on October 29.

The localities listed so far include parts of Mumbra and Kalwa, along with Johnson, Eternity and Siddheshwar. Others named are Samata Nagar, Shree Nagar, Rupadevi, Indira Nagar, Siddhanchal and Rustomjee. Residents of Gandhi Nagar, Jail, Ritu Park, Saket, Vartak Nagar, Lokmanya Nagar and Ghodbunder Road will also see their taps run dry. The corporation has said other pockets may be affected too, and homes, shops and offices that rely on its network are expected to feel the impact.

The decision follows a directive from the Maharashtra government, which wants local bodies to use stored water with care and to treat drinking needs as the first claim on it. The state's resolution seeks planned and prudent handling of water stock across Maharashtra, and it stays in force until August 31, 2027.

The numbers explain the concern. Thane now receives roughly 590 million litres a day (MLD), while demand is estimated at 640 MLD, leaving a gap of 50 MLD every day. Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao has told department heads and ward officers to prepare a ward-level action plan. They must map local water sources, the distribution network and the areas where supply is likely to break down. Progress will be reviewed every 15 days until June 30, 2027.

The administration is also going after losses and theft. Special squads will be set up in every ward to find and cut illegal connections, and plumbers suspected of making such connections without permission will face action. The TMC intends to watch valve operators more closely and to track its water tankers by GPS. Private tanker filling points will be brought under tighter control, and an online system for booking and registering tankers is being considered.

To protect drinking water, the corporation has halted its supply to big infrastructure works, including the Metro, elevated corridors, the coastal road and the ring Metro, until further orders. These projects are expected to switch to water treated at sewage plants. Using drinking water at car-wash centres, construction sites, gardens and other commercial activities has been banned.

Residents, housing societies and commercial establishments have been asked to arrange in advance for the shutdown. They should store only what they need for essential household work, check their storage tanks beforehand, and avoid waste both before the cut and after supply returns. The corporation has pointed out that availability could shrink further in the coming months, and it has urged people to cooperate with this weekly measure. It has also advised the public to follow its official announcements for changes to the schedule, the affected areas and supply arrangements, given the uncertainty over rain and weather.