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Modak Sagar overflows as rain intensifies in Mumbai, city lakes’ stock soars to 73%

BMC opens one gate of Modak Sagar. The lake, along with Tansa and Middle Vaitarna lakes, supplies 455 million litres of water to Mumbai city daily.

Modak Sagar, along with Tansa and Middle Vaitarna lakes, supplies 455 million litres of water to the city daily. (Photo: BMC)

Amid heavy rainfall in Mumbai, Modak Sagar — one of the seven lakes supplying potable water to the city — filled to capacity and started overflowing during the early hours of Wednesday. This is the first amongst the seven lakes to overflow this season, officials said.

In response, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) opened one gate of the lake by one foot, releasing 1,022 cusecs of water per second.

Meanwhile, the total stock in the seven lakes soared to 10.50 lakh million litres or 73 per cent of the total capacity on Wednesday morning, significantly higher than last year’s water stock at 20.48 per cent during the same period. In 2023, the lake levels dwindled to 23 per cent of the total capacity.

Spurred by an early onset of showers and heavy rain battering the neighbouring districts of Mumbai over the past week, Modak Sagar has overflowed much earlier than last year. Last monsoon, Tulsi — one of the seven lakes –– was the first to overflow on July 20, while Modak Sagar overflowed much later on July 25.

Mumbai draws its potable water from seven lakes — Tulsi, Vihar, Bhatsa, Modak Sagar, Tansa, Upper Vaitarna, and Middle Vaitarna –which are situated across Mumbai, Thane, and Nashik districts. The catchment areas of these lakes get filled during the monsoon, following which the water is supplied through a labyrinthine network of pipelines throughout the year.

Modak Sagar, along with Tansa and Middle Vaitarna lakes, supplies 455 million litres of water to the city daily. Bhatsa Lake, meanwhile, supplies the maximum quantum of water to the metropolis, which is nearly 2,030 million litres of water per day.

Earlier this week, the Middle Vaitarna Lake also surpassed the 90 per cent capacity, leading the civic body to open three gates of the dam on July 7.

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Data from the BMC shows that the lakes are fast replenishing owing to heavy showers recorded over the dams, this year. So far, the heaviest rain has been recorded over Middle Vaitarna, which has received 1,560 mm of rainfall, which is nearly two times higher than last year when it received 750 mm until the same period.

Nayonika Bose

Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents. Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T) Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area. Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including: Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft). Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout). Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks. Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration. Tweets @nayonikakb ... Read More

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