Mumbai: Mumbaikars may soon face water cuts, what with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) contemplating imposing cuts in the wake of nine per cent shortage in present water stocks. A decision is likely to be taken next week.
According to civic data, water stock at the end of September (monsoon end) in seven lakes supplying water to the city – Modak Sagar, Tansa, Vihar, Tulsi, Upper Vaitarana, Bhatsa and Middle Vaitarana – was 13,23,541 million litres (ml). Good rainfall early this monsoon season resulted in city lakes getting almost 90 per cent full. Later however, water levels in the lakes started falling due to reduced rainfall in August and September.
“The BMC needs stoc-ks of 14.47 ml water at the end of the monsoon for it to last the entire summer. Considering this, there is a nine per cent shortage in water stocks. We have to take appropriate steps to manage water storage,” said senior civic official.
The civic body supplies 3,750 million litres of water to the city daily. It has also started supplying an additional 50 million litres of water to the city as the same is recycled at the Panjarapur treatment plant. This has further increased the city’s water supply.
Civic officials held a review meeting on October 1 to take stock of the city’s water supply. “We have prepared a report on the quantity available in the lakes and steps to be taken to ensure sufficient water stock till next summer,” said A.K. Tawadia, chief hydraulic engineer.
