Such desalination projects are operational in cities like Dubai and Chennai. The desalination proposal was meant to tide over poor rains in the catchment of the dams which supply water to Mumbai. The BMC's ambitious plans for a Rs 1,000 crore desalination plant to quench Mumbai's increasing thirst for water seem to have formally come a cropper. While the demand for water in Mumbai is 4,250 MLD, the supply from six water sources hovers at a much lower quantity of 3,400 MLD. While desalinated water would cost citizens Rs 70 per 1,000 litres, the BMC supplies 1,000 litres of water to end-users for just Rs 4.50.