Mumbai to face 10% water cut from July 1 as lake levels remain low despite rain

Due to the late commencement of monsoon, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will impose a 10% water cut from July 1. Additional municipal commissioner (projects), P Velarasu, said, “We have recommended a 10% water cut and submitted a file to the commissioner. There is marginal improvement in lake water level, but we have stock that will last for 40 days, hence we have to be cautious.”

The city gets its water supply from five BMC-owned lakes like Vehar, Tulsi, Tansa, Middle Vaitarna and Modak Sagar and two irrigation department owned lakes like Upper Vaitarna and Bhatsa.Currently, the city has 6.97% water stock left on June 27, while it was 9.19% stock in 2022 and 16.66% in 2021 on the same days.A senior engineer of the water works department said, “The predictions for rains are good this time. We will assess the situation and then take a call on withdrawing the cut.” The city requires a total 14.47 lakh million litres (ML) of water stock in seven lakes on October 1, which is sufficient for a year. However, on Monday, the city had a total water stock of 95,123 ML (6.57%). The reserve stock of 1.5 lakhs million litres from Bhatsa and Upper Vaitarna lakes, provided by the state government will help the BMC to supply water till end of July.