Mumbaikars unlikely to face water cuts this yr

Mumbaikars may not have to face water cuts this year even if the monsoon arrives late this year. As per the latest data, revealed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) the water storage capacity in all the seven lakes is at 31 percent as on April 13.

The island city and the suburban belt of Mumbai gets its regular water supply from the seven lakes - Tulsi, Vihar, Tansa, Modak Sagar (Lower Vaitarna), Middle Vaitarna and Upper Vaitarna. These lakes supply 3,850 million liters of water to Mumbai every day and 14 lakh million litres of water throughout the year.

According to BMC, around 4.5 lakh million litres of water is left in all the seven lakes as of April. Civic officials said the present quantity is sufficient for more than 100 days and Mumbaikars can expect uninterrupted supply till next August, in case there is a delayed monsoon this year.

"Last year, the monsoon arrived late however there was adequate rainfall and the monsoon stayed longer than usual, which is why all our catchment areas remained full through most part of the year," a senior civic official told FPJ.

"Also due to the lockdown both the regular water usage and wastage has declined, which is why Mumbaikars may not have to worry of water cuts, if monsoon arrives late this year," the official added. The Bhatsa Lake presently has storage of 2.37 lakh million litres of water, which is 33 percent of its total capacity, followed by Upper Vaitarna, which has a 75 thousand million litre of water and Modak Sagar Lake which has 44 thousand million liters of water.