Mumbai: Water stock in lakes rising slowly and steadily

Tansa is one of the lakes that has been filling up steadily. File pic

Slow and steady rainfall has increased the lake stock to 32 per cent. Though it is way below the massive 75 per cent stock at the same time last year, it is comparatively twice that of 2021. Interestingly, the lakes had filled up to full capacity at the end of the monsoon in both years - 2021 and 2022.

The rain is back in the city with intermittent showers and a few heavy spells. The catchment areas too have been also receiving moderate rain over the last week, which has helped increase water stock. Last year, the July rain had filled up four out of seven lakes and the lake levels jumped from 9 per cent to over 75 per cent within a fortnight. This time the intensity of rain is not much and the lakes have been filling up slowly but there are hopes as two-and-a-half months of the monsoon remain.

In 2021, the lake stock was 17 per cent on July 15, almost half than of the current stock. But there was no water cut. Last year, there was a 10 per cent cut from June 28 to July 12, as the water stock had fallen to 9 per cent. The BMC imposed a 10 per cent cut from July 1 when the stock fell below 7 per cent this year. "The cut is still in force. We are observing the situation and the decision regarding the cut will depend on the stock, forecast of rain and remaining days of the monsoon," said an official from the BMC. All seven lakes have a capacity to store 14.47 lakh million litres of water. On July 15, the stock had reached 4.50 lakh ML.