Lakes need 6 lakh mn litres by July 15 for roll-back in cut

6.5 lakh million litres. That’s the total amount of water stock required in the city’s six lakes by July 15.

And if the lakes do fill up, the current 15 per cent water cut that you are facing will be rolled back, said senior civic officials. With almost four weeks left, the lakes need around five lakh million litres to meet the target. Currently, the total stock of water in the city’s six lakes is 1.2 lakh million litres.

“We have been comparing the current year’s lake levels with those in 2007, as that was one year where our water supply was normal,” said a senior civic official, requesting anonymity. The lake levels of 2008, the official added, can’t be considered because work was on at the Bhatsa Dam, which reduced the lake’s water holding capacity.

“There is a strong possibility that we will withdraw the 15 per cent water cut after July 15. Currently, too, we have started drawing marginally more water from the lakes as compared to the 2,900 million litres per day (MLD) that we drew throughout the year.”

The rainfall in the catchment areas of the lakes so far, has made the BMC optimistic. “The rainfall has been normal at the lakes.

We are positive that it will get better as days pass”, said Vinay Deshpande, civic hydraulic engineer. Till Friday morning, the two major lakes that supply the most water to the city, Modak Sagar and Upper Vaitarna, had received a total of 238 mm and 231 mm of rainfall respectively.

Last year, till June 25, the two lakes had received just 79 mm and 104 mm of rainfall respectively.