Amid growing concerns over depleting water levels in the city’s reservoirs, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has once again turned to the state government for additional reserve stock to avoid a potential water crisis. Although officials insist that current supplies can sustain Mumbai until July, the civic body is preparing for a worst-case scenario if the monsoon is delayed — raising the possibility of water cuts during the peak summer months. At present, Mumbai’s seven lakes hold a combined water stock of 4.37 lakh million litres, just 30.24 per cent of the total capacity. This is slightly lower than the 4.46 lakh million litres recorded around the same time last year. In 2024, dwindling reserves led to a steep drop in water availability, forcing the BMC to impose water cuts of up to 10 per cent by June.
Learning from past patterns, the BMC has proactively requested 1.79 lakh million litres from the state’s reserve water stocks this year — a combination of 68,000 million litres from the Upper Vaitarna reservoir and 1.13 lakh million litres from Bhatsa. Deputy Municipal Commissioner Yatin Dalvi confirmed that the state government has given a tentative nod to the request. “Though we expect the current stock to last till July, the increased rate of evaporation in the summer and declining water pressure due to low lake levels are concerns,” said a senior BMC official. “To be on the safe side, we’ve asked for additional support from the irrigation department.” The BMC makes similar appeals to the state almost every March. In March 2024, it sought 1.31 lakh million litres from Bhatsa and 91,130 million litres from Vaitarna but ended up using only 48,420 million litres from Vaitarna — highlighting how cautious planning has helped avoid deeper crises in the past.
However, officials warn that if the southwest monsoon is delayed or below normal, the current buffer may not be enough. “A delayed monsoon could push the city into a tight spot, and water cuts may have to be reintroduced,” a BMC source said. For now, the city watches the skies with cautious optimism, hoping that early rains will ease the pressure on already strained resources. In the meantime, residents are urged to conserve water and remain alert to possible announcements from the civic authorities in the coming weeks.