Lake water stock at three-year low at 22%; BMC claims no reduction yet

Mumbai: On April 22, the combined water supply of the seven lakes that feed Mumbai fell to a three-year low, or 21.9%, or 3.2 lakh million litres, of the total annual quantity needed, which is 14.5 lakh million litres. In contrast, water stocks were at 28.6% on this day last year, and they were at an even greater 31.2% on this date in 2022.
Despite the low lake levels, city authorities have not yet formally declared a water curtailment.

The head engineer of the municipal hydraulic department, Purshottam Malawade, said that BMC has not yet scheduled a water cut. “A review of the water situation would be done next month and accordingly, a decision would be taken,” he said.
Lake water stock is at a three-year low of 22%; BMC claims no reduction yet.
The BMC’s request for increased reserve water stock from Bhatsa (1.4 lakh million litres) and Upper Vaitarna (93,500 million litres) was accepted by the state irrigation department in February of this year.

The formal date of the monsoon over Mumbai is June 11, although in most previous years, the rains have arrived later in the month, bringing with them a gentler arrival.
Meanwhile, complaints over the low-pressure water supply have already started to surface in a few areas of Mumbai.
According to Asif Zakaria, a former Bandra-based BMC corporator, there was already an unauthorized water cut. He wrote on X: “Housing societies are being compelled to order tanker water due to an acute water cut.” Many communities are unable to pay for these extra expenses.”
Lourdes D’souza of Dharavi Beth Bachav Samiti, Gorai community, on the other hand, said that they had not been receiving any water since their community is located at the “fag end” of the water delivery network. “We are compelled to use bottled water for our daily needs. Our borewells’ water levels have also decreased. Moreover, drinking such water is not recommended. We are receiving water bills even though no water is getting to our location, which is unfair. “As elections approach, promises are made to address the water issue,” the speaker said.
BMC imposed a 10% water reduction on July 1, 2023; however, on August 8, when the whole water storage reached 11.8 lakh million litres, or 81.4% of the needed amount, the restriction was lifted. Lake levels reached 99.2% on October 2 as a result of heavy rains in June, July, and August.