Good news is pouring in for Mumbai’s water supply as the seven lakes that serve the city have seen a substantial increase in their water stock. The total water stock rose by over 7% in a single day, reaching 89.1% of the required 14.47 lakh million litres. The Middle Vaitarna dam, located in Palghar district, became the fifth lake to overflow in the early hours of Sunday, marking a significant improvement in the city’s water situation.
According to BMC data, the total water stock in the seven lakes stood at 12.9 lakh million litres on Sunday morning, a significant jump from the 11.9 lakh million litres (nearly 82%) recorded the previous day. While Sunday’s lake levels matched those of August 4, 2022, the water stock on the same day in 2023 was significantly lower at 11.5 lakh million litres or 79.3% of the total required quantity.
Despite the early onset of the monsoon this year, the total water stock had stagnated at a mere 5.9%, forcing the BMC to implement a 10% water cut across Mumbai and draw additional water from the reserve stock – 1,37,000 million litres from Bhatsa dam and 91,130 million litres from Upper Vaitarna dam. However, with July exceeding its average rain quota of 855mm due to the prolonged wet spell, Tulsi, Vihar, Modak Sagar, and Tansa lakes overflowed. This positive development led the BMC to subsequently withdraw the water cut.
The latest addition to the list of overflowing lakes is the Middle Vaitarna dam. “Two gates of the dam have been opened by 10cm, with water being discharged at a rate of 706.30 cusecs,” stated a press release issued by the BMC. The overflow of the Middle Vaitarna dam is a testament to the recent heavy rainfall and provides a much-needed relief for Mumbai’s water supply.
