20 Per Cent Water Cut Across Mumbai From August 5, Says BMC

Mumbai: Due to scanty rainfall in the catchment areas of the seven lakes that supply drinking water to the Mumbai city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced a 20 per cent cut in water supply from August 5.

The BMC had earlier planned to impose water cuts from August 1, but the decision was deferred due to Eid al-Adha, officials said.

‘The supply cut is imposed so that the water stock lasts in the city for the remaining part of the year. We are monitoring the situation/water stock in the lakes. We can review the decision once the water stock rises,’ said Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects), P Velrasu, who is also the in-charge of the Hydraulics department.

The city requires 4,200 million litres of water daily (MLD) of which the BMC supplies 3,800 MLD. On Friday, the total water stock in the seven lakes was recorded at 4.99 lakh million litres, which is 34.49 per cent of the full capacity of the reservoirs. Last year, the total water stock was recorded at 85.68 per cent on the same day.

The seven lakes should have a cumulative 14.5 lakh million litres stock by October 1 for the city to go without a water cut for the rest of the year, officials said.

Mumbai draws water from Bhatsa, Middle Vaitarna, Upper Vaitarna, Tansa and Modak Sagar, which are in Thane and Nashik districts. Though the city received heavy showers in July, rainfall in the catchment areas of these five lakes was very poor. Of the two lakes located within city limits in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Tulsi lake had overflowed on July 28. At least three lakes had started to overflow by July 30 last year, officials said