However, for maintaining 3,800 mld supply, the civic body may well have to use its reserve water stock in its lakes.
Mumbai: Scanty rainfall in last two months of monsoon may force the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to use its reserve stocks of water in its lakes to tide over the water crisis in the city. However, the civic body is not planning to impose any water cuts in the city for now.
According to civic officials, the present water stock in all seven lakes is 13.35 million litres (ml). Compared to last year’s figures of 14.25 lakh ml at the corresponding time, the BMC is facing a shortage of nearly one lakh ml water this year. It needs stocks of 14.47 ml of water at the end of monsoon (September 30) so that it can last for the entire summer.
“The BMC daily supplies 3,800 ml of water to the city. We will try to ensure the same supply by reviewing the situation every month,” said A.K. Tawadia, chief hydraulic engineer.
However, for maintaining 3,800 mld supply, the civic body may well have to use its reserve water stock in its lakes. According to civic officials, the lake catchments areas have three levels – live storage, reserve stock and dead stock. The Bhatsa system and Upper Vaitarana system has 2.25 lakh ml and 92,500 ml reserve stock respectively.
While Upper Vaitarana dam is owned by the BMC, the Bhatsa dam belongs to the state government. “In case of Bhatsa, we will have to seek state government’s nod to use its reserve stock and we will have to share it with neighbouring Thane and Bhiwandi municipal corporations too,” said an official from the hydraulic department.
Due to good rainfall in lake catchment areas, the BMC had not used its reserved water stocks in the last couple of years. “In 2015, when rainfall was less and lake levels were not good, we had used the reserved stocks,” said the official.
Scanty rains in last two months of monsoon – August and September – resulted in all plans going awry, said civic officials. “The first two months of June and July recorded a very good rainfall. But then there was very average rainfall,” sai-d Mr Tawadia.
