Mumbai: With continuous rainfall over the week, the water stock in the seven lakes supplying water to Mumbai crossed 11 lakh million litres on Monday, which is 79.09% of total water stock required for the city. This water stock is sufficient for over seven months of water supply.
The total required stocks in the seven lakes is 14.47 lakh million litres as on October 1, the end of monsoon for the city to go without a water cut for the rest of the year. If all lakes are filled to capacity by the end of September, the city can look forward to uninterrupted water supply till July 2021. Currently, the water stock has reached 79.09 per cent. The stock in the lakes – Tansa, Vihar, Tulsi, Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Modak Sagar, Bhatsa – was 37 per cent on August 5, which had reached 60 per cent on August 13.
Last year during the same time water stock was at 94.45% with 13,67,061 million litres, while in 2018 the water stock was 90.63 % with 13,11,708 million litres.
"Water cut likely to be relaxed for Mumbai, in view of good rains in catchment areas in August," tweeted KS Hosalikar, deputy director-general of IMD- Western region.
BMC officials, however, said. "It is too early to talk about relaxation on water cuts as of now. Once the water stock crosses 85 per cent we will review the lake levels, rainfall etc and take a decision."
While Mumbai and its surrounding areas have been receiving on and off rains for the last few days, Monday turned out to be a rainy day for the maximum city. Since Monday morning, the city and the suburbs have been witnessing rains throughout the day.
According to IMD, on Monday till late evening, Dahisar received 69 mm rainfall while rainfall at adjoining Mira road was 65mm, followed by Bandra Kurla Complex with 64 mm and Shivaji Park with 75 mm rainfall.
IMD considers rainfall between 15.6 and 64.4 mm as moderate.
"Mumbai and adjoining areas received moderate to heavy showers at many places from 8.30 am to 8.30 pm on Monday. Intermittent intense spells were observed during the daytime. The trend is likely to continue at night," said Hosalikar.
According to private weather agency Skymet, the city has not experienced a dry spell since the beginning of August. In its daily weather bulletin, Skymet said a cyclonic circulation is over Gujarat and the east-west wind shear zone is passing in the vicinity of Mumbai.
"Due to these weather parameters, Mumbai and suburbs will continue to receive light to moderate rain and thundershower activities during the remaining days of the month of August," Skymet stated. The private weather agency further said that the weather of Mumbai and suburbs will not go completely dry.
