Bhopal Municipal Corporation Shifts To Surface Water Supply As Groundwater Levels Drop

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): With scorching summer temperatures rapidly depleting water levels in lakes, Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided that the city will receive an uninterrupted water supply through surface water sources alone.

Although BMC water works official records showed 247 tube wells still operational, the corporation has identified 128 as essential for irrigation and greenery maintenance purposes only.

Applications have now been submitted to disconnect electricity supply to the remaining 111 tube wells, said a BMC water works official. According to BMC, Bhopal’s water demand is currently being met through four major sources, Narmada River, Kolar Dam, Kerwa Dam and the Upper Lake. Together, these sources have a combined supply capacity of 514 MLD (million litres per day) while the city currently consumes nearly 450 MLD.

Officials said that despite rapidly falling water levels due to extreme heat, sufficient storage remains available till onset of monsoon. Daily monitoring of all reservoirs is underway, and a summer supply management plan has already been prepared by Water Works Department.

Reservoirs under pressure, supply stable

Narmada River remains the strongest source, with its current level recorded at 288.80 metres against a dead storage level of 276.85 metres. Kolar Dam currently holds enough reserve to sustain supply till June-end, while the Upper Lake retains around 2,230 million cubic feet of water. Kerwa Dam too has adequate storage compared to projected demand. Experts and civic officials say the city is unlikely to face water cuts before the monsoon arrives in late June.

No dependence on tube wells

From this year, BMC has ended dependence on groundwater-based tube wells for domestic water supply. The decision follows the January 2026 Bhagirathpura contamination tragedy in Indore, where E. coli-contaminated groundwater allegedly caused several deaths.

Subsequent testing in Bhopal detected E. coli bacteria in a well in Khanugaon, prompting a citywide ban on water supply through government-operated tube wells, hand pumps, wells and stepwells.

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“Bhopal’s water network currently includes 15 filtration plants, 173 overhead tanks, 110 sump tanks and nearly 3,885-km pipeline infrastructure. Water is supplied directly to more than 2.72 lakh household tap connections along with over 1,000 bulk residential connections across the city.”

Udit Garg, BMC superintendent engineer