Bhiwandi Faces Early Water Crisis: Residents Reliant on Tankers Amid Municipal Elections

Even before the peak summer months have set in, large parts of Bhiwandi are already reeling under an acute shortage of drinking water, with erratic and low-pressure supply pushing residents to depend heavily on private tankers, triggering growing public anger during the ongoing municipal election season.

Irregular and inadequate water supply has once again emerged as a major civic issue in Bhiwandi, with several neighbourhoods receiving water only during late-night hours and that too at extremely low pressure. Residents complain that the limited flow is not enough to even fill overhead tanks, leaving families scrambling for drinking water and daily needs.

In many areas, water is supplied only between midnight and 2 am, forcing people to stay awake at night to store whatever little water they can. As a result, tanker water has become the only reliable option for many housing societies, adding to their monthly expenses.

With municipal elections underway, voters are confronting candidates during door-to-door campaigns, demanding immediate solutions to the long-standing water crisis. The problem has also begun to impact the city’s social and economic fabric. Several residents, especially those living in housing societies, have reportedly moved out of Bhiwandi to Kalyan, Thane, Mulund, and even Borivali due to persistent civic problems, including the water shortage. Many traders continue to run their businesses in Bhiwandi but prefer to reside in Mumbai or Thane suburbs because of better basic amenities.

The situation is particularly severe in Ashok Nagar, where the municipal corporation recently replaced old pipelines with new ones in the hope of improving supply. Ironically, residents say the problem has worsened since the new pipelines were laid.

Tatyasaheb Pangare, secretary of Building No. 15 Housing Society in Ashok Nagar, said that the area has been getting water only for two hours between 12 am and 2 am, and even that at very low pressure. “For at least one hour, the pressure is so weak that the tanks do not fill at all. In many societies, residents barely get 20 minutes of usable water daily,” he said.

Another resident, Praful Gosrani, alleged that although an electric motor was installed during the pipeline work, it has not been made operational for months due to the absence of a power connection, further worsening the crisis.

Meanwhile, civic officials said a large water tank is being constructed in Ashok Nagar under the AMRUT scheme, but it will take at least two to three years to become operational. Ironically, real estate projects are being sold in the area on the promise of future water supply from the proposed tank.

Bhiwandi Jain Mahasangh president Ashok Jain said that even upscale localities like Gokul Nagar, Ajay Nagar, and Adarsh Nagar are witnessing an exodus of residents due to poor civic amenities. “Many big traders have shifted their families out of Bhiwandi,” he said.

Defending the civic body, officials from the municipal water supply department claimed that water is being supplied regularly, but illegal pipeline connections by residents are disrupting distribution. Executive Engineer Sandeep Patnavar said that the electric meter for the motor in Ashok Nagar has now been approved and will be installed soon, after which water supply in the area is expected to stabilise.