The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to impose a 10 per cent water cut in Mumbai starting May 15 due to declining water reserves and concerns about a weak monsoon this year. Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide announced the measure after a pre-monsoon preparedness review meeting conducted on Tuesday. Addressing the media, Bhide said representatives from all BMC departments along with several city agencies participated in the second monsoon readiness meeting to assess the situation. Officials reviewed Mumbai’s water availability and discussed preventive measures to manage resources efficiently ahead of the rainy season amid fears of insufficient rainfall in the coming months.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the country is expected to witness below-average rainfall during the southwest monsoon because of developing El Nino conditions. The weather department has predicted rainfall at nearly 92 per cent of the long period average, placing it in the below-normal category. Bhide stated that the combined water stock in the seven lakes supplying Mumbai currently stands at only 28.35 per cent and may be sufficient only until early July. To avoid a severe shortage, the civic body plans to reserve additional water from the Bhatsa and Upper Vaitarna reservoirs after obtaining approval from the Maharashtra government authorities.
The BMC believes that if permission is granted for the use of reserved water and the proposed water cut is implemented successfully, Mumbai’s existing water supply could last until mid-August. This step is expected to provide temporary relief until monsoon rainfall improves reservoir levels across the region. Officials said the decision was taken after extensive discussions during the city’s second pre-monsoon preparedness meeting, where multiple civic departments and agencies reviewed the possible impact of low rainfall on water supply and urban infrastructure. Authorities are also preparing contingency plans to manage the city’s needs effectively in case the monsoon remains weaker than expected.