Mumbai, June 18: With water stock in the seven lakes falling to 1.39 lakh million litres (ML), or 9.67 per cent of their total capacity, Mumbai's available supply is projected to last until August 20, factoring in the ongoing 10 per cent water cut and additional reserve stock approved by the state government.
Civic officials said an additional 10 per cent cut may be imposed in the first week of July if the expected rainfall in the last week of June does not materialise and reservoir levels fail to improve.
Corporators across party lines sought clarity from the BMC administration on its preparedness to tackle the worsening water crisis and the contingency measures being planned if lake levels fail to improve. Responding to the concerns,
Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar said the current water stock, coupled with the ongoing 10 per cent water cut and additional reserve water permitted from state-owned sources, is expected to meet Mumbai's needs until August 20.
BMC warns situation remains serious
However, he cautioned that the situation remains serious. "The impact of El Ni├▒o could lead to higher temperatures in October and November, increasing evaporation losses from lakes. A similar situation was witnessed in 2009 when water cuts had to continue for almost the entire year. This year too, the situation is grave, though significant rainfall is expected in July," Bangar said.
Tail-end areas worst affected
Acknowledging the impact of the ongoing 10 per cent water cut imposed from May 15, Bangar said residents in tail-end and elevated areas have been among the worst affected.
"Even people living in chawls are facing water shortages. When water pressure is reduced, supply often does not reach upper floors and far-flung localities. To address this, we have hired water tankers and are supplying water to areas facing shortages beyond the prescribed cut. We are also making efforts to maintain local water pressure so that citizens continue to receive adequate supply," he said.
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Review scheduled on June 30
A review of Mumbai's water reserves will be undertaken on June 30, and if lake levels fall further despite the current restrictions, the BMC may impose an additional 10 per cent water cut from the first week of July, a civic official said.
The decision will depend on both reservoir storage levels and rainfall activity over the coming weeks.
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