20% WATER CUT ACROSS THE CITY FROM AUGUST 5, SAYS CIVIC BODY

MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in a statement issued on Friday, announced a 20% water cut in the city from August 5 until further notice, owing to low rainfall in catchment areas. The civic body said the step is taken to ensure that there is enough water supply until July 31 next year.

The water level in the seven water-supplying lakes – Tulsi, Tansa, Vihar, Bhatsa, Modak Sagar, Upper Vaitarna and Middle Vaitarna – was 34%, as on Friday against the 85% level in 2019 and 83% in 2018. According to data shared by BMC, the seven lakes have 4.99 lakh million litres of water against their full capacity of around 14.47 lakh million litres.

Although the water level is sufficient for the next 100 days supply, the BMC imposed the water cuts as a precautionary step.

“We decided to impose 20% water cut as a precautionary measure. There are predictions of good rainfall in catchment areas from the next week and we can always roll back the cut if there is enough water. Citizens should utilise water wisely but also ensure to use sufficient water for personal hygiene as we are amid the Covid-19 outbreak,” a BMC official said.

Civic commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal plans to bring water to Mumbai from Bhandardara dam in Ahmednagar, if required.

The BMC earlier decided to impose water cuts from August 1, but later decided to postpone the decision in the wake of the festivals on the first three days of the month.