No water cuts in Mumbai as lakes have water enough for 270 days

The lakes now have more than 12 lakh million litres (ml) of water

Mumbai is unlikely to see water cuts this year as lakes that provide water to the city are now at about 85% capacity.

The Modak Sagar lake is filled to the brim. (HT FILE)

The Modak Sagar lake is filled to the brim, the Tansa Lake overflowed and Tulsi and Middle Vaitarna lakes will reach their capacity soon. Last year, the lake levels were at 82% at this time.

The lakes now have more than 12 lakh million litres (ml) of water. Their total capacity is 14 lakh ml.

While they had, at this time last year, 11 lakh ml of water, 2015 had only a little more than 8 lakh ml. This resulted in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) imposing a 20% water cut in the city in 2015.

A civic official said, “Mumbai now has enough water for 270 days and the city needs to have 304 days of water in its lake by October 1. The situation looks good right now and we can
expect no water cuts in the coming year. But let’s hope that it continues to rain this way in the catchment areas. There are two more months to go before October, and the city will continue to use water from the present stock during this period.”

The Tulsi lake has water amounting to 96% of its total capacity and the middle Vaitarna has 92% water.