The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to use sound-based SONAR technology to locate underground leaks and to speed up replacement of Mumbai's ageing pipelines.
The plan comes as the city faces a 10% water cut after deficient rainfall.
How Big Is The Problem?
Mumbai needs about 4,600 million litres a day (MLD) but receives about 4,100 MLD.
Of that, around 1,394 MLD, or 34%, is lost to leakage and theft. The city's pipeline network runs to nearly 6,000 km, and much of it is decades old.
Where Does Mumbai's Water Come From?
The city depends on seven lakes: Tulsi, Vihar, Bhatsa, Tansa, Modak Sagar, Upper Vaitarna and Middle Vaitarna. They fill during the monsoon, and the stored water is sent through the pipeline network to homes and businesses.
With weak rain this year and higher temperatures speeding up evaporation, the BMC imposed the cut to make stocks last until September next year.
Why Is Finding Leaks So Hard?
Engineers currently locate leaks largely by guesswork. Abhijit Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects), told The Indian Express that water often surfaces far from the actual rupture.
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Crews then calculate likely spots and keep digging up roads until they find it. Repeated digging damages roads, and the real leak can stay undetected for some time.
What Can SONAR Do?
SONAR, short for Sound Navigation and Ranging, uses sound waves to detect changes beneath the surface. The BMC expects it to pinpoint leaks and reduce exploratory digging.
What About Replacing Old Pipes?
The BMC now replaces 60-70 km of pipeline a year, which Bangar told The Indian Express amounts to about 1% of the network.
The target is 250-300 km a year, which officials describe as 5-6% annually. Bangar said the aim is to reach 25-30% of the old network in the next four years, reducing losses.
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Can Theft Be Curbed?
The civic body also plans to expand its Water for All policy, introduced in 2021, which gives slum settlements formal connections. The BMC has received 35,697 applications and granted 29,110 connections so far.
What Happens Next?
The BMC is appointing a consultant to study the feasibility of the measures and submit a detailed report within six months. Implementation is expected around mid-2027.
The move follows Mayor Ritu Tawde's direction a week ago asking the administration to report to the civic house on steps to prevent water loss.
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