Mumbai’s annual water requirement has been reported to stand at 14.47 lakh million litres (ML) by October 1 in order to maintain uninterrupted supply throughout the year. It has been observed that the seven lakes catering to the city’s needs have already attained 98.70% of their total capacity, accounting for nearly 14.28 lakh ML. With forecasts predicting further rainfall in the coming week, civic officials have indicated that the storage requirement is expected to be met and possibly exceeded, ensuring sufficient reserves until the arrival of the next monsoon.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been supplying nearly 4,000 ML of water every day from seven reservoirs. Two of these, Tulsi and Vihar, are located within city limits, while the others are spread across Palghar, Thane, and Nashik. The combined storage potential of these reservoirs is 14.47 lakh ML, and maximum levels are generally reached in September and October, ranging between 97% and 99%. Records from the previous year have shown that lake levels stood at 99.37%, slightly higher than this year’s 99.18%. Senior civic authorities have clarified that stocks never touch a complete 100% because daily water distribution results in what they term “live storage.”
Current data has revealed that most lakes are almost full. Upper Vaitarna holds 2.26 lakh ML at 99.58%, Modak Sagar 1.28 lakh ML at 100%, Tansa 1.43 lakh ML at 98.77%, Middle Vaitarna 1.92 lakh ML at 99.64%, Bhatsa 7.01 lakh ML at 97.86%, Vihar 27,698 ML at 100%, and Tulsi 8,046 ML at 100%. With nearly all lakes filled to the brim, excess rainfall has been flowing away unused, leading to concerns about resource wastage.
In response, a civic initiative has been launched to conserve surplus water from Vihar Lake. A pumping station is being developed to capture 200 million litres daily (MLD) of overflow. This excess water, which currently drains into the Mithi River, has been identified as a contributor to flooding in low-lying localities such as Santacruz, Kalina, Kurla, and Ghatkopar. By harnessing this surplus, the BMC aims not only to enhance water conservation efforts but also to alleviate recurring flooding issues in these vulnerable suburbs.
The project has been presented as a dual solution: safeguarding the city’s water security and providing partial relief from monsoon-related flooding. As the lakes approach maximum capacity and rainfall continues, Mumbai’s water reserves have been considered sufficient to meet the city’s needs until next June. Civic authorities have expressed optimism that the strategy being implemented will improve both storage efficiency and disaster management in the long term.