The BMC officials are expected to take a review of the existing water supply situation by June end and decide on further water cuts.
The volume of water stock in seven lakes supplying water to Mumbai has hit a new low of 6%. However, the reserve stock of around 1.7 lakh million litres will be able to quench the city's thirst till July end. The BMC officials are expected to take a review of the existing water supply situation by June end and decide on further water cuts.
There are seven lakes which supply water to the city with a total capacity of 14.47 lakh million litres. However, following a scanty rainfall, the total stock was only 90% following the end of last year's monsoon. As a result, BMC had imposed a 10% water cut on November 14 when the stock dipped further to 76% which continues till date.
Though the civic body hasn't increased the cut, it took permission from the state government to use reserve water stock of Vaitarna and Bhatsa which is around 1.7 lakh million litres. As on date, the total water stock of the city is around only 80 thousand million litres. Even last year, the monsoon was delayed but the water stock was 2.10 lakh million litres or 14% of the total storage capacity. The city gets around 3400 million litres water every day and following use of reserve stock the water will last enough for a month.
"The reserve water stock can be last up to July end. By that time the monsoon situation may improve. In the last 10 years, we generally received 1 lakh million litres of water in June irrespective of the monsoon arrival dates. We will keep an eye on it and will take review after the June," said an officer from the Hydraulic Department of BMC. He also appealed to use water judiciously.
Though Mumbai received 165mm rainfall up till now which is 50 per cent of average, the catchment area of lakes which are in Thane and Nashik are still waiting for a good spell of rain.
DNA had carried out a campaign soon after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced water cuts last year. In the campaign, Madhukar Kamble, a former hydraulic engineer with BMC interacted with residents and suggested ways to save water. Now, the campaign has started showing results. In the last few years (2014, 2015) despite a huge gap between demand and supply, the city civic body has never used reserve water stock. Instead, the BMC has always announced 20 to 30% water cut.
Meanwhile, in Aurangabad, most of the reservoirs have dried up. Of its eight major reservoirs, the water level has dropped to zero in seven, including the largest dam — Jayakwadi. In May this year, big reservoirs across the state had live water storage of 17.54% against 31.33% last year, while in the mid-level dams have 28.33% water against 31.08% last year.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Modak Sagar dam")
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}