India, March 21 -- Residents of Mahavir Kalpvriksh, a housing society in Kasarvadavali, Ghodbunder Road, Thane, started buying water from five tankers daily two weeks ago to offset the paucity of municipal supply. With each tanker costing Rs.2,500, the 420-flat complex is looking at an unusually expensive summer as they will soon have to scale up the supply to 10 tankers daily.

Narayan Mane, secretary of Mahavir Kalpvriksh, said the society experienced a 50% drop in supply two weeks ago. "We are bearing municipal water charges and paying for tankers. If the supply does not improve soon, we will have to increase of monthly maintenance charges for each flat to meet the additional water expenses," said Mane.

This is not an isolated case, a...