The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) administration has reassured Mumbai residents that despite lower water levels in the reservoirs compared to last year, there is an adequate water supply available until July 31st. Following a comprehensive assessment of water availability, the city's leader guaranteed residents that there was a surplus of water and no cause for concern.
The civic body attributes this assurance to improved management practices and the state government's approval for additional water allocation from the Bhatsa and Upper Vaitarna dams for Mumbai.
But the civic administration remains vigilant, meticulously monitoring available water resources and implementing strategies to ensure the city's water demands are met until July 31, 2024, as is customary each year. Mumbaikars need not fret, but everyone must exercise prudence in their water usage, emphasized Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani following a review meeting on May 7, 2024.
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Water availability
BMC’s seven dams supplying water to Mumbai currently hold approximately 238,552 million liters of water, representing about 16.47 per cent of the total annual requirement of 1,447,363 million litres. Additionally, the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) will receive 137,000 million liters from the Bhatsa Dam and 91,130 million liters from the Upper Vaitarna Dam, as allocated by the state government. With these combined reserves, the BMC asserts that they can sustain water supply until July 31, 2024, consistent with previous years.
Monsoon arrival forecast and continuous review of water storage-
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), current conditions indicate a promising outlook for the timely arrival of the monsoon this year. Additionally, IMD has predicted 106 per cent rainfall across India for the year. IMD is expected to release updated monsoon forecasts by the end of May. The municipal administration is closely monitoring both the rainfall forecasts provided by the Meteorological Department and the status of water storage. Future policies will be formulated taking into consideration these updates and any associated changes.