The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) revealed that amidst a surge in temperatures, Mumbai's water reserves have plummeted to 21.86 percent, marking the lowest level observed in the past three years. Despite this concerning drop, civic officials have reassured residents that the municipality currently has no intentions of implementing a water cut.
As per the data provided by the BMC, Mumbai's water reserves were recorded at 21.86 percent on Monday, amounting to 3.16 lakh million liters (MLD). Contrasting this with previous years, on April 22, 2023, the city's water stock was at 28.56 percent, while in 2022, it stood higher at 31.21 percent.
Mumbai relies on water sourced from seven distinct lakes: Tansa, Bhatsa, Modak Sagar, Tulsi, Vehar, Upper Vaitarna, and Middle Vaitarna. These lakes serve as crucial reservoirs, with their catchment areas replenished during the monsoon season. The combined water levels of these lakes essentially determine the actual water stock available for Mumbai.
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According to a report of Indian Express, Civic officials said that every 1 per cent of water in the reserve lasts for three days of usage time. At present, the current water stock is enough to last two months. Monsoon in Mumbai is expected to arrive by the first or second week of June. So going by this, we have adequate stock that will last us till the arrival of monsoon. As a result, there is no provision of announcing a water cut as of now.
Typically, the average water stock for Mumbai during April and May falls within the range of 20% to 25% annually. In February, civic authorities had formally requested access to reserve water stocks totaling 2.5 lakh MLD from the Bhatsa and Upper Vaitarna rivers. Subsequently, the government granted approval for the utilization of approximately 1.98 lakh MLD from these reserves by the civic authorities.