According to the latest reports, Mumbai may be on the brink of a water crisis. The city’s seven lakes are at their lowest levels in three years. The current water storage stands at 7.14 lakh million litres, which is 49% of the total capacity.
The water levels have seen a significant drop compared to the previous years. In February 2023, the water stock was at 54%, while in February 2022, it was at 57%. The catchment areas of the lakes usually receive good rains in September and October every year. However, last year, the rainfall was less than expected, leading to the current shortfall.
The BMC has requested that the irrigation department allot more drinking water from Upper Vaitarna Lake and Bhatsa Lake. Last year, in June, the BMC used an extra 1.5 lakh million litres of water from the reserves.
Reports suggest that the city might have to face water cuts if the irrigation department does not accept BMC’s request. Last year, due to a late monsoon, a 10% water cut was imposed on July 1. However, heavy rainfall in July filled the lakes, and the cut was removed on August 9.
The BMC outputs 3,900 million litre water daily from the lakes of Modak Sagar, Bhatsa, Upper Vaitarna, Tansa, Middle Vaitarna, Vihar, and Tulsi. The BMC had plans for a project called cloud seeding. This method helps deal with air pollution. However, due to a lack of response from firms, the project is currently on hold.
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