Mumbai dam stocks fall sharply in 19 days despite 10 per cent water cut

Stocks in the dams that supply water to Mumbai are falling fast. A 10 per cent water cut is in force in the city, yet the dams have lost water rapidly. This is being seen as a warning bell for Mumbaikars.

In just 19 days, the dam stock has dropped by 75.7 billion litres. Water in Mumbai's seven dams stood at 96.05 per cent on October 2. On October 21 it was 90.82 per cent. Mumbai needs about 4,664 million litres of water every day.

If supply after the 10 per cent cut is taken as about 3,690 million litres a day, 70.1 billion litres is supplied in 19 days. But the dams have lost more water than this. It is also being claimed that 250 million litres of water a day is being lost to evaporation. With stocks falling this fast in October itself, a water crisis looms over Mumbaikars in the coming summer.

Mumbai gets water from seven dams: Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Modak Sagar, Tansa, Bhatsa, Vihar and Tulsi. Keeping in view a possible water crisis ahead and the growing impact of El Nino, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has imposed a 10 per cent water cut across the city. The administration is already planning strictly to ensure supply until August-September 2027.

Rising heat is causing water to evaporate quickly, and this is bringing dam levels down sooner. Barring July, rainfall this year did not reach the average. Long gaps in rain in August and September meant the dams could not fill completely.

Because of changing weather and the El Nino threat, uncertainty over rainfall may continue next year as well. The administration has therefore already issued orders to use water carefully.

About 34 per cent of the water supplied in Mumbai every day is wasted through leakage and theft. To control this, the municipal corporation is now using a new technology that detects underground leaks.