Mumbai water stock to last for nearly 3 months, sufficient even if monsoon is delayed

Mumbai gets about 3,900 million litres of water daily from the seven lakes.

The Upper Vaitarna lake is one of the lakes that provides water to Mumbai. (Express Archive)

The seven lakes that provide drinking water to Mumbai have 3,21,891 million litres of water or 22.24 per cent of the total capacity of 14,47,363 lakh million litres, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The current water stock will last the city for 82 days and even if the monsoon is delayed in the city it will be sufficient.

The normal onset date of the monsoon in Mumbai is June 11. The BMC takes stock of the water level in the lakes on October 1 annually.

Mumbai gets about 3,900 million litres of water daily from the seven lakes. In 2021, the water stock on May 17 was at 18.26 per cent.

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If by end of the monsoon season or by end of September, the seven lakes are 100 per cent full, water cuts are unlikely in the city for the year. In August 2020, Mumbai faced water cuts as water levels in catchment areas of the lakes were low due to a lack of rainfall. No water cut was imposed in 2019, owing to good rainfall in catchment areas. The BMC had imposed a 10 per cent water cut in 2018, a 20 per cent cut in 2016, and a 25 per cent cut in 2014.

The city draws water from Bhatsa, Middle Vaitarna, Upper Vaitarna, Tansa, and Modak Sagar, which are in Thane and Nashik districts. Tulsi and Vihar are two lakes located within city limits in Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

Bhatsa lake is the major supplier of water to the city and is at 22.92 per cent (1,64,317 million litres) of its capacity. Bhatsa also supplies water to neighbouring cities of Thane and Bhiwandi.

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