BMC withdraws water cut as state assures supply

BMC withdraws proposal for 10% water cut in Mumbai as state assures to fill deficiency from reserve stock; city to receive regular water post-March 5.

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday announced that the proposal for a 10% water cut in Mumbai has been withdrawn, and the city will continue to receive regular water post-March 5.

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This move came after the state assured to fill the deficiency of water from its reserve stock, said the officials and the proposal for a water cut starting March 1 was withdrawn.

As of Friday, lake levels supplying water to the city stood at 42.67% of overall useful stock.

Civic officials said the levels were 5.58% less than the required water stock. “Over the last two years, Mumbai has experienced active monsoon until October 15, 2023. However, this year, there was no rain in October resulting in a water stock deficiency of about 5.58% at the source as of today (Friday) as compared to the previous year.” (Sic.) said the civic body in a press statement.

Given the prediction on utilisation of water in the city, there would have been water shortage before the arrival of monsoons. “The Government of Maharashtra has assured the release of deficient water stock from the carryover quantity of the Bhatsa and Vaitarna basins. Hence BMC has decided not to impose any water cut in Mumbai,” read the press statement.

BMC owns five lakes while the irrigation department owns two dams – the Upper Vaitarna Dam and Bhatsa Dam – that supply water to the city. On February 13, water levels in all seven waterbodies were around 7.1 lakh million litres or 49% of the total required quantum of 14.47 lakh million litres, compared to 55% in 2023. Following this, the BMC had written to the state irrigation department for additional water stock.