Ahmedabad: Amdavadis may not be facing dry taps yet, but there is a gap in the quantity the municipal corporation supplies and what this fast-growing city uses. While public water works supply 1,850 million litres a day (MLD) to citizens, sources say that thousands of homes and commercial buildings are drawing an additional 700MLD from private borewells, which is unsustainable. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has found that the actual sewage generated far exceeds official estimates because groundwater drawn by private users is not counted in water calculations. According to AMC records, there is a discrepancy of nearly 700 MLD between the water and the sewage received, indicating that borewell water used by private societies and commercial units is entering the drainage network. The situation is aggravated further because sewage discharged into the stormwater system is not measured, suggesting that actual groundwater usage could be even higher. A tender issued in July 2024 revealed that 786.49MLD of untreated sewage was being bypassed and released into the Sabarmati river. The corporation plans to treat this excess wastewater using bioremediation methods, but the scale of the problem highlights how unchecked groundwater use is contributing to river pollution.City officials admit that while water supply is a critical issue, the extensive use of borewells has so far prevented an immediate shortage. But they warn that this rising dependence on groundwater is unsustainable and could lead to a serious crisis in the future.AMC has taken several steps to prepare for long-term needs. Six months ago, approval was granted to draw 467 MLD of raw water every day from the Narmada main canal for western Ahmedabad. The Jaspur water treatment plant is being expanded with an additional 200MLD capacity, raising its total to 600 MLD.Planning has also been guided by demographic projections. “Ahmedabad’s population is expected to reach 14 million by 2040. Surveys conducted in emerging western areas such as Bopal, Ghuma and affordable housing zones beyond the Sardar Patel Ring Road show that population in these belts will rise to 3.4 million by 2030 and 5.6 million by 2045, pushing daily water demand to over 1,022 MLD,” says a senior AMC official. He adds, “To meet this demand, land has been acquired for a new 400MLD treatment plant, while a Rs 91-crore main water pipeline has been laid to serve areas along the Ring Road and SG Highway.”
