Maharashtra Govt To Test Desilting At 7 Major Irrigation Projects Before Mumbai Reservoir Cleanup

Mumbai, September 30, 2026: The state government will test desilting at seven major irrigation projects, with silt and silt-mixed sand to be removed through the respective Irrigation Development Corporations.

The pilot findings will decide whether to take up desilting of seven reservoirs supplying drinking water to Mumbai, the civic administration said in response to corporators’ demand.

Demand For Regular Desilting

Standing Committee Chairman Prabhakar Shinde has called for Mumbai’s reservoirs to be desilted every five to 10 years, preferably before the monsoon, citing the accumulation of soil, leaf litter and waste from hilly catchments that is reducing storage capacity and affecting summer water supply. His notice of motion was passed by the civic House in June and referred to Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide for consideration.

In its reply to the civic House, the BMC administration said, "The Maharashtra government has approved a pilot scheme to remove silt and silt-mixed sand from seven major irrigation projects—Ujani in Solapur, Girna in Nashik, Gosikhurd in Bhandara, Mula in Ahilyanagar, Jayakwadi in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Hatnur in Jalgaon and Koyna in Satara. The scheme will be implemented through the respective Irrigation Development Corporations, and its findings will guide further action on desilting reservoirs supplying water to Mumbai."

Reservoir Storage Declines Recorded

The reply further stated that, following Central Water Commission (CWC) guidelines, the BMC appointed the Maharashtra Engineering Research Institute (MERI) to conduct silt surveys of its reservoirs.

The surveys recorded storage-capacity declines of 16.42 per cent at Vihar, 14.98 per cent at Tulsi, 15.023 per cent at Tansa, 8.986 per cent at Modak Sagar and 1.709 per cent at Middle Vaitarna, with annual declines estimated at 0.100 per cent, 0.104 per cent, 0.116 per cent, 0.128 per cent and 0.244 per cent, respectively.

MERI, however, reported that silt accumulation at Tansa had not affected its water-supply capacity. As per CWC guidance, reservoirs with annual storage loss of around 0.2 per cent generally require monitoring rather than immediate desilting, while decisions for dams over 50 years old should be based on technical and economic considerations.

The BMC has sought a panel of CWC-recommended consultants to assess the need and feasibility of desilting its reservoirs, said the administration.

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Mumbai Water Stock Position

• Mumbai’s seven lakes hold 13.94 lakh million litres (96 per cent capacity) as of September 30.

• The stock is sufficient to meet the city’s needs until May 17, 2027.

• Current supply is 4,100 MLD against demand of 4,600 MLD.

• The 10 per cent water cut imposed from May 15 is likely to continue until the next monsoon.

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