Addressing a press conference, Shetty said a project to provide water to the three villages would cost the BMC over Rs 19 crore. Though the proposal was ready, the corporation had not passed it so far fearing that the revenue generated would be too small since the population of the villages was little. He added there was enough water in the Murgale lake, and it could be supplied to the villages and also sold to Esselworld. However, a filtration plant will have to be set up, which will cost the BMC nearly Rs 22 lakh. As the lake is situated in Thane, the BMC will have to get permission from the state government to acquire it.

Shetty also informed the BMC would also start selling bottled water on the lines of Delhi municipal body and an agent would beappointed to bottle the water and sell it. But if the response by agents isn't good, the corporation would set up its own plant and sell water.

Though the price of the water bottle has not been finalised, Shetty said they would be priced at rates much lower than the retail price of the six companies doing similar business in Mumbai. The BMC presently sells water to these companies at the rate of Rs 22 per 1000 litres.

He informed that 70 per cent of the water metres installed in the city to record the quantity of water used by the residents are not functioning. The BMC has installed 2.5 lakh metres, mostly in the suburbs. He added officials were finding out the reason for non-functioning of the metres.

Shetty informed the work of laying of some tunnels and pipes under the Bombay III water supply project would start in October and end in 2001. This includes construction of four tunnels at Malad, Charkop, Vikhroli and Yari Road. The BMC will need Rs 660 crore for this, of which Rs 247 crore have beenapproved by the MMRDA.