Uran staring at water cut as Ransai dam water depletes

URAN: Uran, grappling with a two-day water cut, now braces for a three-day water shortage as the Ransai dam, its vital water source, nears depletion.

With the present dam level reported to be adequate only for supply till May 15, Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) water supply department authorities are planning to extend the water cut by a day to help the supply last till June. The water shortage for Uran residents is worsening this summer. Even after the Ransai Dam catchment area receiving substantial rainfall last year, resulting in the dam overflowing in July, the subsequent monsoon was inadequate. Now there is pressure due to the expected evaporation of water in summer and the increased demand for water in the region due to several mega projects, industrialisation, and urbanisation.

The Ransai dam, serving 21-gram panchayats in Uran taluka, is in a critical situation. Originally designed to hold 10 million cubic metres of water, it now holds less than 7 million cubic metres due to silt accumulation over 45 years. With only 2 million cubic metres remaining and the water level at 97 feet, the supply is forecasted to last only until May 15. As the supply from

Ransai diminishes, MIDC struggles to provide sufficient water to Uran, particularly with no additional supply from Hetawane, leading to the gram panchayats experiencing water cuts first. Vithal Pachpund, the deputy engineer at MIDC, emphasised impact of urbanisation and industrialisation, implementing a two-day water cut in the region and urging further water conservation to ensure supply until the monsoon arrives in June. Local activist Dashrath Mhatre highlighted the dwindling water stock and proposed solutions such as cleaning the dam’s silt or raising its wall height, though a pending proposal for the latter remains unresolved.