10% water cut stays as BMC awaits full reservoirs

Mumbai: The city’s seven reservoirs may be around 95% full, but residents will have to bear with the 10% water cut for now

Mumbai: The city’s seven reservoirs may be around 95% full, but residents will have to bear with the 10% water cut for now. The BMC on Friday said that is not withdrawing the restriction, citing an uncertain rainfall outlook and the need to ensure adequate water stocks for the months ahead. The civic body wants the reservoirs to reach 100% by September 30 before taking a call on lifting the cut.

10% water cut stays as BMC awaits full reservoirs

The devision was announced during a review meeting of the Hydraulic Department. Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar said the restriction could not yet be withdrawn as the BMC wanted to ensure a satisfactory water position.

A senior BMC official said, however, that the final decision on lifting the cut would be taken by municipal commissioner Ashwini Bhide.

“Considering the El Niño conditions and the rainfall forecast, the civic administration is being cautious,” the official said.

The meeting also discussed complaints about localised water shortages. Civic officials said such complaints should be dealt with at the ward level instead of being escalated to the municipal headquarters.

“The emphasis was on identifying the root cause of complaints and ensuring immediate corrective measures so that local water supply issues do not escalate to higher ups,” a senior official said.

The BMC’s caution comes against the backdrop of an uncertain monsoon. Bikram Singh, Scientist G, IMD Mumbai, said Mumbai received good rainfall in July, but rainfall had been below normal since August and the trend was expected to continue through September.

“Overall, this year’s rainfall is likely to remain below normal. The BMC takes its decisions based on the forecasts provided by the IMD. Taking the forecast into account, they may have considered that the lake levels may not reach full capacity and therefore decided to continue the water cut,” Singh said.

BMC House Leader Ganesh Khankar supported the decision, saying water security needed to be kept in mind despite short-term inconvenience.

“Considering that the effect of El Niño is expected to continue till next August, such a measure is necessary. In the short term, it may cause some difficulties, but in the long term, we will have to think about water security,” he said.

The current restrictions were introduced on May 15, when the BMC imposed a 10% cut as reservoir stocks fell. On June 17, the restrictions were tightened, with water supply to construction sites and swimming pools stopped and a 20% cut imposed on industrial, commercial and recreational establishments.

Water supply to municipal swimming pools was restored on August 16, while the restrictions on industrial, commercial and recreational establishments continued.

The extended cut is in contrast to 2024, when the BMC lifted the 10% restriction on July 29. That year, the civic body had first imposed a 5% cut from May 30 and increased it to 10% from June 5 as lake levels declined. The restrictions were lifted after heavy monsoon rainfall pushed reservoir stocks above 66%, with Vihar and Modak Sagar overflowing. There was no similar water cut last year.