It will be sensible for Mumbaikars to start using water very carefully as the stock that supplies water to the city is at all time low. The reservoir, at present, is nearly 25% of its total capacity. In the last three years, this is the lowest in April.
However, the civic officials are still confident that the city will be able to pull off this summer season. But as predicted by Skymet Weather, a “below normal” Monsoon this year may make this situation a serious cause of concern. Bhatsa, Tulsi and Vihar, Middle Vaitarna, Modak Sagar, Tansa and Upper Vairtarna are the seven lakes from where Mumbai receives water.
Last year in April, the collective water stock in the seven lakes stood at 5.59 lakh million liters, which was 39% of the total capacity. But currently it only stands at 3.74 lakh million liters, which is about 25% of its total capacity.
Following inadequate rainfall activity last year, officials had drafted a policy to reserve water stocks so that they last till next Monsoon. With August and September being almost dry last year, the catchment area of lakes received good rains only in June and July.
The Bhatsa has 2.24 lakh million liters of reserve stock while the Upper Vaitarna system has 1.24 million liters, which may be used if needed. However, it should be kept in consideration that Bhatsa is shared with the neighboring municipal corporations like Thane and Bhiwandi civic bodies, while Upper Vaitarna is a BMC catchment area.
Since November 2018, the city is twirling under a 10% water cut and a 15% cut supply timing in residential, commercial and industrial premises. When the civic administration announced these cuts on November 14 last year, the total water stock in the lakes was 10.95 lakh million liters, which is 76% off the capacity.
Credits: Times of India
Please Note: Any information picked from here must be attributed to skymetweather.com