24% Mumbai water supply unmetered, more than national average

About 24 per cent of the total water supply in Mumbai is unmetered and it is more than the national average of 15 per cent, the Maharashtra government told the state Legislative Assembly.

Unmetered water is that part of total supply which, due to various reasons, is not tracked by devices like water meters.

Responding to a calling attention motion Friday, Maharashtra Minister of State for Urban Development Ranjit Patil said apparent losses such as illegal connections, water theft and metering inaccuracies were some of the reasons for the high unmetered percentage in the metropolis' water supply.

The estimated population of Mumbai is 1.34 crore and an average 3800 million litres per day (MLD) of water is supplied to city, he informed the House, adding that there was, at present, a 10 per cent cut in supply due to deficit rains this monsoon.

Patil said about 22 per cent of Mumbai's population live in slums.

The BJP's Parag Alvani said it was unfortunate that the percentage of unmetered water was higher in Mumbai in comparison to the national average.

He also criticised the minister's reply that 15 per cent of total supply to any city can be unmetered, non-revenue water.

Non-revenue water is the part of supply that does not earn the utility producing and supplying it any money.

Patil said the civic body would be asked to reduce the percentage of unmetered non-revenue water.

"The civic body would be asked why the leaks are not reducing despite the use of leak detectors. This year, 24,654 leaks were found and fixed in different parts of the city. This is less that the 34,390 leaks that were found and plugged last year," Patil said in the Assembly.