Mumbai: Lakes' stock down, but enough to last till monsoon, claims BMC

As of January 4, the city lakes have 66 per cent water. File pic

The lakes supplying water to the city have a 66 per cent stock until Thursday, January 4. The stock is comparatively less than the last two years, but according to BMC officials, it is sufficient until the end of June. Last year, although the lake levels were higher than this year, the city faced water cuts due to delayed monsoon.

The city receives water from seven lakes with a total capacity to store water up to 14.47 lakh million litres. The BMC supplies 3850 million litres of water per day to the city, and the stock lasts up to 10 months from October to the end of June the following year. After the end of the monsoon, the city lakes had 99.2 per cent stock on September 30. In 2022, the lakes had 98.5 per cent stock on the same day.

As of January 4, the city lakes have 66 per cent water. In 2023, the water stock was 71 per cent, and in 2022, the lakes had 73 per cent water. Last year, although the stock was higher, the city faced a 10 per cent water cut from July 1 as there was less than 7 per cent water in city lakes, even after using the reserve quota from Upper Vaitarna and Bhatsa. The water cut was imposed on July 5th due to delayed rain and lasted for a month due to the dry spell of the monsoon. But heavy rain in July and then intermittent showers in August and September helped fill up the lakes by the end of September.

"We are keenly observing the lake level. As of now, there is no worry as the stock may last beyond June. But the evaporation rate in summer will also be a deciding factor," said an official from the BMC.