Navi Mumbai Mayor Sujata Patil conducted a detailed inspection of the Morbe Dam
project and the city’s water supply infrastructure along with journalists and civic officials, stating that the existing water stock at the dam is sufficient to meet the city’s requirements till the end of July.
During the visit, the Mayor appealed to residents to use drinking water responsibly and avoid wastage, especially in view of weather forecasts predicting delayed and comparatively lower rainfall this monsoon season.
According to the civic administration, Morbe Dam currently holds around 17 per cent water stock, while the present water level stands at 72 metres against the dam’s maximum level capacity of 88 metres.
Mayor Patil stated that the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has already implemented a precautionary 10 per cent water cut considering forecasts issued by the meteorological department regarding possible low rainfall this year.
She clarified that the restriction has been introduced as a preventive measure and appealed to citizens not to panic or develop unnecessary concerns regarding water availability.
Deputy Mayor Dashrath Bhagat, Water Supply Committee chairman Ravikant Patil, Health Committee chairman Dr Jayaji Nath, Additional City Engineer Arvind Shinde, Executive Engineers Shankar Jadhav and Santosh Unavane along with other civic officials were present during the inspection visit.
Mayor Patil also credited Forest Minister Ganesh Naik’s long-term vision behind Navi Mumbai securing the Morbe Dam project, stating that compared to water shortages being witnessed in several other cities, Navi Mumbai residents remain relatively fortunate in terms of water availability.
As part of the inspection, the Mayor and civic officials visited the reservoir edge at Morbe Dam and personally drank water from the source while stating that the water was naturally clean and pure due to the environmentally sensitive and low-pollution surroundings near the Dhavari river region close to Matheran.
Officials further explained that water from the dam undergoes multiple stages of purification and testing through the Bhokarpada Water Purification Centre, Agroli pump house and various water distribution reservoirs across the city.
The inspection team also reviewed the SCADA-based automated monitoring and control system used for managing Navi Mumbai’s water distribution network.
During the visit, officials also addressed recent complaints received from some parts of Navi Mumbai regarding muddy or turbid tap water supply.
According to the civic administration, more than 650 water samples were collected and tested daily from multiple locations following the complaints, with results reportedly confirming that the water remained safe and potable.
Officials explained that the issue arose after a recent two-day shutdown on the Morbe main water pipeline network, during which the pipelines had become completely empty.
Once water supply resumed, sediment and fine particles settled at the bottom and inner walls of the empty pipelines reportedly got disturbed by the sudden flow of water, temporarily causing muddy water in some areas.
Similarly, civic officials stated that several private residential water tanks had also become empty during the shutdown period and accumulated fine sediment within those tanks may have mixed with the incoming water supply once distribution resumed.
Mayor Patil directed the water supply department to continue responding promptly to complaints related to muddy water in future and instructed officials to immediately visit affected locations whenever complaints are received.
She also appealed to citizens to contact the municipal corporation directly in case of water-related complaints.
Referring to the ongoing heat conditions, Mayor Patil additionally advised residents to avoid venturing outdoors between 12 pm and 4 pm wherever possible and urged citizens to remain hydrated due to rising temperatures and heat-related illnesses such as nausea, vomiting and dehydration.
While reiterating that Navi Mumbai remains comparatively water-secure, the Mayor appealed to residents to continue practising water conservation and avoid unnecessary wastage.
In a related story, the NMMC conducted a special drinking water quality inspection drive, testing 663 samples across Navi Mumbai
