India, Nov. 8 -- Even as Diwali preparations are underway, residents across Kharghar and Taloja are grappling with erratic water supply, low pressure and mounting expenditure on private tankers. In several high-rise housing societies, households receive water for barely 10 to 20 minutes a day, leaving residents struggling to manage basic needs and festive cleaning.

The situation is particularly acute at Bageshree Society in Sector 40, a CIDCO affordable housing complex comprising 23 buildings and over 10,000 residents. The society requires around 14,00,000 litres of water daily, but residents claim it receives less than half.

Priya Patil, who moved here in 2021, said the shortage had steadily worsened. "Our first year was all right but ...