The city has been witnessing a dry spell for the last few days, but light showers in the catchment areas have maintained water levels. Currently, the seven lakes supplying water to the city have 12,85,251 million litres (ML), or 88.80 per cent of the 14.47 ML of their total capacity. During this period last year, the lakes had 75.62 per cent while in 2020 they had only 34 per cent water stock.
This year, the lakes filled up to their current levels in the shortest period as compared to the previous few years, with the city receiving 70 per cent of July's rainfall within the first week of the month.
The BMC supplies 3,850 ML of water from the lakes. For uninterrupted water supply, there needs to be 100 per cent stock in all the lakes on October 1. Currently, Modak Sagar has 98.83 per cent water stock while Tansa and Middle Vaitarna have 98.45 per cent and 95.63 per cent, respectively.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), this year's July was the wettest July since 2005, as the rainfall received across the country during the month was 16.9 per cent above normal. However, Mumbai has not received heavy rainfall since mid-July and the maximum temperature has also seen an escalation from 27°C to 32°C.
The low rainfall over Mumbai, along with the temperature increase, is due to a lack of favourable monsoon systems over the city, which could change in the coming days, IMD said.
Water stock levels
Year Water stock
2022 12,85,251
2021 10,94,554
2020 5,01,160
Lake Live storage (Million litres) Useful content
Upper Vaitarna 1,84,926 81.45%
Modak Sagar 1,27,410 98.83%
Tansa 1,42,828 98.45%
Middle Vaitarna 1,85,082 95.63%
Bhatsa 6,15,620 85.86%
Vihar 21,374 77.17%
Tulsi 8,011 99.56%
