Double Whammy for Mumbaikars: Amid Heatwave, Water Shortage Looms as Private Tankers Halt Supply From Midnight

Mumbai: Already battling a relentless heatwave, Mumbai now faces another crisis,  a looming water shortage. Starting midnight tonight, the Mumbai Water Tanker Association (MWTA) has announced a complete halt in the supply of private water tankers, citing a regulatory standoff with the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA). The move threatens to disrupt daily life for lakhs of residents, businesses, and institutions relying on these tankers for essential non-potable water.

What’s Triggering the Crisis?

At the heart of the issue lies the Central Ground Water Authority’s mandate requiring a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for groundwater extraction — a regulation that, according to the tanker operators, is not practical for Mumbai’s dense urban sprawl.

While the MWTA sources water from borewells and open wells for non-drinking purposes, such as construction, metro rail and bullet train projects, malls, and even hotels, the BMC has issued notices directing all such suppliers to procure CGWA NOCs.

The failure to do so could lead to the revocation of existing permissions and fines ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹50,000.

The association, however, argues that these norms apply to potable water, whereas they are dealing with non-potable sources.

“How Can We Follow This in Mumbai?”

Speaking on behalf of the MWTA, spokesperson Ankur Sharma explained that complying with the CGWA conditions is challenging, as one requirement demands 200 square meters of land around each well, along with the installation of a flow meter and a GPS tracking system — a near-impossible ask in a densely populated city like Mumbai. He added that the CGWA’s guidelines were designed for semi-urban and rural areas but are now being blindly imposed on Mumbai, where even an extra square meter is a luxury.    

Massive Impact Expected

With 2,000 private tankers supplying around 300 million litres daily, the sudden stoppage will hit hard. Societies, construction sites, industrial zones, and large public infrastructure projects depend on this parallel water economy, especially when municipal supply falls short.

In peak summer, demand for water spikes, and this disruption comes at a time when the BMC’s supply is already stretched due to increased consumption and receding water levels in reservoirs.

Meanwhile, in a sign of the issue escalating beyond the civic domain, Ashish Shelar, Maharashtra’s Minister for Culture and Information Technology, has written to the Ministry of Jal Shakti, seeking immediate intervention to prevent a citywide crisis.

There has been no immediate response from the Ministry, but pressure is mounting as thousands of Mumbaikars brace for possible dry taps and service shutdowns in the sweltering heat.