Monsoon over, water crisis to stay

September 30 is the day the monsoon officially ends in Mumbai. And with that has ended hopes of more drinking water for the city until next June, reports Bhavika Jain.

September 30 is the day the monsoon officially ends in Mumbai. And with that has ended hopes of more drinking water for the city until next June.

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Currently, the six lakes that supply water to the city are only 70 to 75 per cent full. As compared to last year, the city has got less than half the rainfall, the civic body’s rainfall data chart shows. For the first time in years, only two of the lakes touched the overflow mark.

The result – the city does not have water to last till the next monsoon arrives in June. The water deficit is over 100 days, and to make the water last, the BMC will have to continue and perhaps raise the current 15 per cent water cut.

The city requires 13 lakh million litres of water annually, but the current stock is only 9.3 lakh million litres.

“We will review the situation on October 11. The cuts will have to be increased if there are no rains,” said Anil Diggikar, additional municipal commissioner, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

The BMC is hoping for some reprieve as the rain clouds will not clear for another 10 days. “The monsoon is usually over by September 30, but as it came late this year, there are still moisture-laden clouds over the state,” said an official with the Indian Meteorology Department.