Mumbai: Major dams run dry, BMC hopes for rain

The Bhatsa dam’s useful water content is at zero. File Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Even on the last day of June, the useable water in the two major sources was at zero. Now, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is hoping for a continuous spell of rain for the week. Although there has been a slight rise in the lake levels over the last two days, the lakes are still waiting for significant rainfall. The Bhatsa Dam's useful water content is at zero. Bhatsa is a major source, supplying almost 1,887 million litres of water regularly.

Meanwhile, the Modak Sagar dam's useful water is also at zero. This dam supplies around 400 million litres of water on normal days. The total water stock in all seven lakes was 79,056 million litres on Sunday morning, which is 5.46 per cent of the total stock. According to civic data, the current water stock is half of what it was in the last two years. In 2023, the water stock was 1.57 lakh million litres, while in 2022, it was 1.52 lakh million litres.

BMC officials said that the IMD has predicted good rain, and they are hoping for a continuous spell of rain for at least a week, which is needed to speedily increase the lake levels. Currently, there is no proposal to increase the water cut. "We are monitoring the situation," officials added.