Mumbai is already grappling with a 10% water cut, and now the Mumbai Water Tanker Association (MWTA) has announced a complete suspension of water transportation services across the city starting 12 am on June 8 until further notice. The decision comes in response to what the association describes as the 'harsh and selective' enforcement of Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) rules exclusively in Mumbai, along with notices issued to well operators and water suppliers.
Impact on Tanker Operators and Well Owners
The MWTA stated that the enforcement has adversely affected water tanker operators, well owners, ring well owners, borewell operators, and water suppliers. Revenue authorities and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have been issuing notices to well owners regarding licenses, and in some cases, the power supply of well owners has been disconnected. The association has urged the Chief Minister to intervene and has requested a meeting to resolve the issue.
Supply Details and Concerns
The association operates over 2,000 tankers, supplying non-potable water to various government agencies, infrastructure projects, commercial establishments, and housing societies. Ankur Sharma, MWTA spokesperson, highlighted that the CGWA norms are being implemented only in Mumbai, not even in the rest of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) or across Maharashtra. He pointed out that a CGWA No Objection Certificate (NOC) is required only for extracting potable groundwater, not non-potable water. 'Show-cause notices have been issued by revenue authorities to around five members. We supply a total of around 550 million liters per day (MLD) of water across the city through water tankers. We do not own the wells; our role is limited to transporting the extracted water. Potable water is supplied only during BMC water pipeline bursts, and the majority of our supply is non-potable. Authorities have threatened to confiscate our vehicles,' said Sharma.
Notices and Legal Framework
The notices issued to water suppliers cite a public notice from CGWA directing all existing groundwater users to apply for an NOC for groundwater withdrawal. The notices demand an explanation as to why their groundwater abstraction structures—such as dug wells, borewells, tube wells, and dewatering structures—should not be sealed for illegal groundwater withdrawal. According to the MWTA, around 250 well operators have received notices in the past week.
Impractical Licensing Conditions
The association argues that CGWA guidelines mandate that a license will be issued to a well owner only if the well is situated on a land parcel of at least 200 square meters, which is impractical in a densely populated city like Mumbai. This has caused widespread concern among operators. Last year, water tankers had similarly gone off the roads after the BMC issued letters to ring well owners, instructing them to stop supplying water to tankers.
Broader Implications
In response to the ongoing water shortage and reduced supply from tanker vendors, some establishments like the Garware Club House have decided to shut their spa and swimming pool from Sunday. The MWTA's threat to suspend services could exacerbate the water crisis in Mumbai, affecting numerous sectors and residents who rely on tanker water for non-potable uses.
