Surat, Mar 21 (IANS): A water cut was initiated on Thursday across five zones of Surat, impacting nearly 20 lakh residents, due to metro construction work.

The authorities announced that the water line's reconnection in the Simada area is causing reduced water pressure.

Sources said that the Limbayat and Katargam zones are among the affected regions facing an imminent water supply disruption.

The timing of the water cut coincides with Surat and Bengaluru topping the charts in a recent study on used water management by the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW).

Despite the accolades for their water management practices, both cities are currently grappling with water-related challenges.

Surat and Bengaluru achieved scores of 3.32 and 3.23, respectively, out of a possible 5 in the CEEW’s composite index. This study highlighted that no other city surpassed the 3-point mark, with 47 towns scoring above 2.25 and another 151 falling between 1.5 and 2.25.

The comprehensive report, titled ‘Enabling Circular Economy in Used Water Management in India: A Municipal Index for Assessing Urban Local Bodies’ Performance,’ assessed 27 indicators across five themes, including finance, infrastructure, efficiency, governance, and data and information.