Water woes in Mumbai? Huh, lakes at maximum level

Good news is pouring in for the citizens. The two major lakes, Bhatsa and Upper Vaitarna, are nearing their overflow mark. Bhatsa is just 0.05 meters away form its maximum capacity, while Upper Vaitarna is 0.18 meters away from its optimum level. Both the lakes are major contributors to the city’s water supply.

Civic officials say that if water level reaches the brim, the water content will comfortably last till the onset of monsoon next year.

“Bhatsa and Upper Vaitarna are the chief source of water for the city. The water level is very close to touching the optimum capacity. If the showers continue in the catchment area, we expect the lakes to be overflowing soon. This way the water content would easily last till the end of June next year,” said Ramesh Bambale, chief engineer of Hydraulic Department.

To survive till the onset of monsoon next year without any water cuts, the city requires a total 13 lakh million litres of water in all the six lakes, which supply water to the city. Apart from Bhatsa and Upper Vaitarna, Tulsi, Modak Sagar, Tansa, Vihar have also touched the overflow mark in last two months.

Although the water level has plunged by 0.06 meters at Tansa and 0.02 at Tulsi later, the cumulative water quantity stands at 12.45 million lakh litres.

At present the water stocks are better than what they were during the same time last year. The total water stock last year stood at 12.23 million lakhs litres.

However, the officials from the hydraulic department continue to be wary of the fluctuating water level in the lakes. “Tansa reached the maximum mark in June and Vihar started overflowing in August. But the water level in these two lakes has dipped. We are waiting till the end of September to get the final clear picture. The final stock will be assessed on September 30,”said another senior official from the water department.