Lakes supplying water to Mumbai now half full, enough for 5 months

Bhatsa lake currently has 46 per cent water in stock. File pic

After an initial dry spell, the water level in the seven lakes that supply water to the city has reached up to half of the total capacity in less than 15 days. With this, the water stock is enough for five months. But it needs to increase further to 100 per cent capacity by the end of monsoon, i. e. September 30, for the city to have uninterrupted water supply till next monsoon or for 10 months.

On June 28, there was hardly 9 per cent of stock remaining in the lakes as the monsoon was delayed. In view of this, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had imposed a 10-per cent water cut from the last week of June. This was lifted on July 12 after heavy rains started lashing the city and the catchment areas of these seven lakes from June 30. The total capacity of the seven lakes - Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Modak Sagar, Tansa, Bhatsa, Tulsi and Vihar - is 14.47 million litres. On Tuesday, the stock stood at 7.28 million litres.

Civic officials, however, warn that though the heavy rain filled up the lakes fast, it would not resolve the water issue if the lakes are not full at the end of the season. "A few years ago, the lakes were full in the first week of September, but as the rain receded thereafter the stock came down to 90 per cent at the end of September and the city faced water cuts. So it is important to check the water level at the end of monsoon," said a BMC official.