The BMC has decided to put its foot down in the issue between Mumbai and Thane over water supply. At a meeting between the two municipal corporations and state Water Supply and Sanitation department on Wednesday, the BMC officials will state that that using Mumbai's conveyance system for supplying 100 million litres a day (mld) of water from Bhatsa dam to Thane will result in the city reeling under a water shortage. According to hydraulic engineer M M Kamble, Mumbai's water supply of 3,420 mld already falls short of its demand of 4,250 mld. "It is not possible to put any additional load on our system in order to supply water to Thane. Our system has its limitations and it is not sustainable to exceed its capacity,' said Kamble. Recently, the Water Supply and Sanitation department of the state government had written to the BMC asking them to consider a request from the neighbouring Thane Municipal Corporation. It said that due to reduction in water supply in Ulhas river, the cities in Mumbai Metropolitan Region, including Thane, are facing an acute water shortage.Therefore, the BMC should consider pumping and conveyance of additional 100 mld water from Bhatsa dam though its systems. The BMC, in its reply, will however state that any such move will adversely affect the water input to the eastern suburbs' reservoirs such as Trombay, Sion (Raoli), Ghatkopar, Sewri (Golanji) and Masgaon (Bhandarwada). "To balance it out we will be forced to impose a 10 per cent water cut all over Mumbai,' said Kamble. Thane Municipal Commissioner Nandkumar Jantre said that it is a misconception that TMC is demanding 100 mld of water from the BMC. "The state government will release this water to us. Our 100 mld water project has already got sanction under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). By March 2009, our water pipeline systems will be in place. Until then, we wanted the BMC to use its system to provide us the water,' said Jantre. Dismissing apprehensions about a possible water shortage in Mumbai, Jantre added that considering the capacity of BMC's water supply system, an additional 100 mld is a miniscule amount.