Mumbai: Water Cuts Likely In Coming Days As Stock Dips By Half, BMC Fears Shortage in Summer

Mumbai: The seven water lakes that serve as the city's water resource currently have 7.14 lakh million liters or 49 percent water stock available for supply, the lowest in the last three years, according to reports. The depleting status of the water stock is raising serious concerns about water shortage during summer, said civic officials. 

It added that apart from the available seven water lakes, there are no major water supply resources for the city. Given the same, the civic body is likely to impose water cuts in the coming days, claimed sources privy to the information. 

In comparison to the current year's 49 percent water stock, the city saw 57 and 54 percent in February 2022 and 2023. respectively. A civic official affirmed that good rains are expected in the catchment area of lakes in September and October. Unfortunately, rainfall was much less during this period last year, the official added.

The city could get sufficient water supply if the lakes had a total water stock of 14.47 lakh ML on October 1. But, with less rainfall, the deficit continued, said the official adding that the irrigation department can allot more water for drinking from Bhatsa and Upper Vaitarna Lake. 

If the request is denied by the irrigation department, then water cuts in parts of the financial capital are likely during summers, said officials. Last year in June, the delayed arrival of the monsoon forced the civic body to impose a 10 percent water cut. Subsequently, heavy rains in July-end helped fulfill water stock in the lakes, allowing the civic body to withdraw water cuts in August. 

The civic body has time and again considered the formula of cloud seeding to avoid a water crisis in the city, but the execution never occurred due to several environmental reasons. 

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) currently supplies 3,900 ML of water to the city every day with the help of seven lakes including Modak Sagar, Tansa, Bhatsa, Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Tulsi, and Vihar lakes.