Lake levels double in a week
Though the current water level is the same as last year, the 10% water cut imposed in the city on June 5 will remain in force.
Mumbai: The water stock in seven lakes which supply water to Mumbai has more than doubled in the past week owing to abundant rainfall in catchment areas. The cumulative stock in the seven lakes rose from 2.1 lakh million litres last Sunday, July 7, to 4.3 lakh million litres, or 29.74% of the annual stock, on July 14. Though the current water level is the same as last year, the 10% water cut imposed in the city on June 5 will remain in force till enough water accumulates in all catchments, said officials.
Purshottam Malawade, hydraulic engineer, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), said, “The catachment areas have received good rainfall in the last 10-12 days, including yesterday. The current stock will last for about three months or 90 days.”
Out of seven lakes which supply water to Mumbai, six lakes received around 100 mm rainfall, while rainfall in the catchment area of the seventh lake was lower. “The 10% water cut imposed earlier will continue till enough water gets accumulated in seven catchments,” he said. A decision on rolling back the water cut would be taken by BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, he added, saying, “We are waiting and watching the rains.”
The current stock of 4.3 lakh million litres is on par with 2023 lake levels, but nearly half of the 2022 lake levels, when it was 9.52 lakh million litres on July 14.
The BMC currently provides the city with 3,950 million litres of water each day. Although the monsoon arrived early this year, rainfall in the catchment areas was minimal last month. As a result, the water stock in the seven lakes had decreased by 5%, after which reserve stocks of the Upper Vaitarna and Bhatsa lakes, as permitted by the state government, were utilised. A 10% water cut was also imposed in the city starting June 5.