Only 42 days’ water supply left in Mumbai

Mumbai, which is battling a severe COVID-19 outbreak, is also staring at a severe water scarcity crisis. This is because the seven lakes and dams that supply drinking water to Mumbai have water stock that will last only 42 days. With poor rain in catchment areas of these lakes, there is no increase in the water stock. This is worrying as there are only eight days left in June, which is the first month of the monsoon.

However, Mumbai municipal officials say there is no need to panic as yet. This is because a good monsoon has been predicted and water will be available when it rains.

In 2019, the seven lakes – Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Modak Sagar, Tansa, Bhatsa, Vihar, and Tulsi – collectively had 82,829 litres of water during this time of the year. But this year, the stock is much lower.

However, civic officials have not made any decisions on water cuts as of now. They say it is unlikely.

This year, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted normal rainfall in Mumbai. So far the rainfall in Upper Vaitarna and Middle Vaitarna and some other dams are better than last year. The water levels in these dams are also higher than last year. So there is nothing to worry about availability of water as of now. – P Velrasu, Additional Municipal Commissioner, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation

The lakes are in located in Thane and Palghar districts while their catchment areas are in Nashik, Thane and Palghar districts.

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