No water cuts for Mumbaikars this summer

Lake Tulsi currently has 8,562 million litres of water. File pic

After facing an acute water shortage last year, the lakes supplying water to the city have stock that will last until July end. As of Wednesday, the seven lakes together had 7.14 lakh million litres of water - 49 per cent of the total capacity.

During the same period last year, the lakes had only 5.42 lakh million litres (37 per cent) water. However, officials have asked citizens to use water judiciously. Though monsoon was delayed in 2019, it remained active for a long time, with there being showers even in December.

Last year's stock remained low despite a 10 per cent water cut in November 2018. "All seven lakes have more water than last year. The city will probably not suffer a water cut this year. Still, people must use water judiciously," a senior officer from the BMC Hydraulic Department said.

There are seven lakes - Tulsi, Vihar, Modak Sagar, Middle Vaitarna, Upper Vaitarna, Tansa and Bhatsa - that provide water to the city, and their collective storage capacity is 14.50 lakh million litres.

If the lakes get filled by October 1, the city, which uses 10 per cent of the stock each month, can get uninterrupted supply till July. During the monsoon in 2018, the city lakes filled up till only 92 per cent of their capacity. The water cut was announced after the water level decreased to 74 per cent on November 14. It was removed in July 2019.

Stock of water (in million litres) in seven lakes as of March 4

Upper Vaitarna 92,035
Modak Sagar 41,580
Tansa 62,524
Vihar 14,955
Tulsi 8,561
Bhatsa 3,69,633
Middle Vaitarna 1,28,654
Total 7,13,996

14.50
Total water capacity (in lakh million litres) of the seven lakes

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