Rains playing truant in August and the first half of September has prompted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials to start their planning for the next year. The situation of two major lakes — Upper Vaitarna and Bhatsa — still continues to be worrisome.
Mumbai receives a water supply of 3,450 million litres daily (mld) from seven lakes — Modak Sagar, Tansa, Vihar, Tulsi, Middle Vaitarna, Upper Vaitarna and Bhatsa. Of them Modak Sagar, Tansa, Vihar and Tulsi have already reached the overflow mark. But, Upper Vaitarna and Bhatsa — the two lakes which constitute almost 60 per cent of Mum-bai’s water supply — are still having a gap of 20 and 40 days respectively. Bhatsa supplies 1,715 mld water to the city, whereas Upper Vaitarna supplies 630 mld.
Additional municipal commissioner Rajiv Jalota said, “Though there has not been much rain in August and September, average stock in lakes is still sufficient. But if it rains adequately in the remaining part of September, then there would be no worries about the water supply in the city.”
“We have to plan things in such a way that the water supply lasts till July 15 of next year. The decision will be taken by the end of September, when the monsoon ends after reviewing the situation,” said a senior civic official. The city needs 13.5 lakh million litres of storage to last till the end of July next year. Presently, there is 12.68 lakh million litres water in the city lakes, a much better situation compared to last year where lake levels were only at 12.03 million litres.