Brace for water cuts: Water stock in dams drops to 8% in some parts of Maharashtra

Mumbai city news: According to officials, some districts might face scarcity of water supply if the monsoon is delayed any further.

The delayed monsoon in most parts of the state has caused water stocks in parts of Vidarbha to drop to as low as 8.42%. Water stock in all the state’s dams is at 15.47%. A few districts are likely to face drinking water shortages soon if the rains are delayed any more, said an official in the state’s water supply department.

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In Marathwada, which had suffered consecutive droughts until last year, has much more water – 18.49% of its stock – than the measly 0.48% it had on the same day last year. The Konkan region, which includes Mumbai and Thane, had the most water stock, with dams 37.06% full, according to figures the government released on Monday.

An official in the relief and rehabilitation department said, “The weather department has already issued a go-slow advisory to farmers, who had geared up for sowing with the onset of the monsoon. The dry spell the followed showers earlier this month has dried up many seeds that were sowed. If the monsoon is delayed any further, some parts of Vidarbha and western Maharashtra may face drinking water shortages too.”

The dams that supply Mumbai’s water all have enough water – Tansa is at 34.33%, Modak Sagar at 41.84% and Middle Vaitarana at 51.15%.

Read: No water cuts this summer, Maharashtra’s dams have enough water to last 6 months