Thane civic body starts preparing to prevent water shortage over Super El Nino fears

Rainfall may be lower in the coming days because of the effect of a Super El Nino, which could put pressure on water stocks. Keeping this apprehension in mind, the Thane Municipal Corporation has started detailed planning of its water supply.

Commissioner Saurabh Rao has directed that the existing water stock be strictly accounted for. Leakage of water from public wells and borewells is to be stopped, action is to be taken against unauthorised tap connections, and recycled water is to be used as much as possible.

Cleaning and necessary repairs of 90 wells have begun with the corporation's own funds. Pumps will be installed in these wells so that people can be supplied water for uses other than drinking.

On borewells, 392 defective ones out of 2024 in Thane city have been repaired. Maintenance of the remaining borewells is under way. In addition, rainwater harvesting and recharge pits will be built near 80 borewells. This will increase the amount of water seeping into the ground during the monsoon and raise the borewells' yield.

There is also a plan to dig 40 new borewells at various places in the city. Their water will be supplied for non-drinking uses in schools, gardens, grounds and slum areas.

The corporation has set a deadline of November 2026 for planning all these works. Ultra filtration and RO systems are being installed on 35 wells in Thane city to make their water potable. Work on 12 of these wells is complete and their water is in use. The plan is to complete work on 8 more wells and start the systems in November 2026. The work on the remaining 15 wells is planned to be completed before February 2027. The water levels of 210 corporation-owned wells and 205 private wells will also be monitored, and their use will be increased as needed.

Special arrangements have also been made to detect water leakage. Robotic CCTV cameras and radar systems are being used to find leaks in the main water pipelines, along with modern equipment.

A special drive is on against unauthorised tap connections. Action was taken against a total of 427 unauthorised tap connections between September 1 and October 31, 2026. Between September 14, 2025 and October 31, 2026, 820 tap connections were cut, and 122 borewells and 48 motors were seized, in connection with stopping water supply to unauthorised buildings.