MUMBAI: Steady rainfall in the catchment areas of lakes supplying water to Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) in the last 48 hours has led to a rise of around 47 % in their total water stock. However, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has said sustained rainfall will be required in the lakes for the rise to be considerable. However, considering that Mumbai receives total 3, 350 million litres of water per day from the seven lakes, in just 48 hours, about 13 days' worth stock was replenished in the seven lakes, BMC officials said.
On July 4, the city’s water stock stood at 1,09,006 million litres, which increased to 1,60,691 million litres on July 6 - meaning 51,685 million litres of water was added to six lakes. The seventh one - Powai Lake, began overflowing on July 5. However, this stock is still lower than in 2018 and 2019 during the same period. On July 6 last year, the stock was 2,16,522 million litres and on the same date in the preceding year, this number was 3,55,360 million litres.
The rise could be attributed to moderate to heavy rainfall in the catchments of all seven lakes, particularly the smaller ones. In the last 48 hours, their levels have risen by less than a metre. “We are optimistic. Even though this is a minor rise, we are hoping as the monsoon progresses, all seven lakes will be completely filled, so that we have enough water stock to last until next year,” said a senior official from the BMC’s hydraulic engineer department.
The total rainfall received by the city until July 6 stands at 928mm and 896.2mm at the Colaba and Santacruz weather observatories respectively.
