Mumbaikars may have to face severe water cuts in the coming days as the water levels in reservoirs supplying to the financial capital of India are running low. The water level in the seven lakes, which are Mumbai’s lifeline, has reportedly dipped to below 25 per cent.
Last year on May 2, the water quantum in the seven lakes stood at almost 28 per cent, while this year on the same date it was below 25 per cent, according to a report by Times of India.
This comes at a time when there is over a month left for the monsoons to begin, with some predictions suggesting ‘blow normal’ rainfall this season. The official onset date of monsoons over Mumbai is predicted to be June 11.
As per the report, the total water stocks in the seven lakes–Tulsi, Vehar, Tansa, Modak Sagar, Upper Vaitarna, Bhatsa and Middle Vaitarna– is currently at 3.51 lakh million litres ML while on the same date last year, the total water stocks were at 4 lakh ML.
As per data by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) quoted in the TOI report, currently, Tulsi Lake has a water stock of 40 per cent, followed by Vehar Lake at 38.66 per cent, Tansa Lake at 36.34 per cent, Modak Sagar at 32 per cent, Upper Vaitarna at 23 per cent, Bhatsa at 22 per cent, and Middle Vaitarna at 13 per cent.
Of the seven lakes, 48 per cent of water in Mumbai comes from Bhatsa, followed by Upper Vaitarna which supplies 16 per cent of water. Further, Middle Vaitarna meets around 12 per cent of the city’s needs, Modak Sagar around 11 per cent, Tansa around 10 per cent, and Tulsi and Vihar provide around 1 per cent to 2 per cent of water to the city.
The civic body is yet to announce any water cut in the city. However, last year, after the water levels in the lakes dipped below 20 per cent in June, the BMC had announced a 15 per cent water cut across Mumbai.
Civic officials said that they are closely monitoring the situation and have asked the citizens to use water judiciously.
BMC has reportedly also written to the state government requesting to use the reserve water stock of Upper Vaitarna and Bhatsa lakes in case of delayed monsoon.
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