According to media reports, the Mumbai civic authority plans to implement water rationing in the upcoming days due to the city’s seven lakes’ diminishing water supply and the absence of other sources.
The water stock in these lakes is at 7.14 lakh million litres (ML), or 49%, which is the lowest level in the previous three years. Mumbai’s water stock was 54% in February of last year and 57% in 2022.
According to a municipal official, the water supply might reach 14.47 lakh ML on October 1st, at which point the city will have an adequate supply of water because September and October are predicted to have strong rainfall in the lakes’ catchment region.
He said, however, that if this year’s rainfall is lower than usual, the water shortfall may persist. The BMC will pressure the irrigation department to obtain extra drinking water from Upper Vaitarna and Bhatsa lakes, according to the newspaper.
P. Velrasu, an extra municipal commissioner for projects, stated that if the irrigation department rejects the request to provide for more drinking water, the civic body will eventually have to implement water reductions.
The monsoon arrived later than usual last year, forcing the city government to impose a 10% water reduction on July 1. The report also stated that on August 9, the incision was removed after the lakes were partially filled by the intense rains in July.
The BMC has requested expressions of interest in performing cloud seeding in order to reduce air pollution in the city by producing artificial rain. But because seasoned businesses did not respond to the civic organisation, the plans have been delayed for the time being.
The BMC provides 3,900 ML of water to the city every day. Water is extracted from Lakes Tansa, Bhatsa, Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Tulsi, and Vihar.
