Mumbai Averts Water Crisis: BMC Cancels Proposed 10% Water Cut Following State Government Assurance

Mumbai, 2nd March 2024: The proposed 10% water cut for Mumbai has been averted as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced its decision not to implement the reduction. This decision comes after the Maharashtra State Government provided assurances to the BMC regarding the release of water from the reserve stock of Vaitarna and Bhatsa dams. The BMC had initially considered the water cut as the levels in the seven lakes supplying water to the city had dropped below 50%. As of March 1, the useful water stock in these lakes was at 42.67% of the overall useful stock.

To address the situation, BMC’s Hydraulic Engineering department reached out to the Maharashtra State Irrigation Department, requesting a quota from the reserve water stock of the Upper Vaitarna and Bhatsa dams. The release stated that the deficiency in the water stock at dams supplying water to the city was around 5.58% compared to the previous year, attributed to the absence of rainfall in October.

The decision to impose a 10% water cut was initially based on concerns about the adverse impact on the city’s water supply, considering the current stock levels and regular utilization estimates. However, the state government’s assurance to release water from the reserve stock of Bhatsa and Vaitarna dams, both owned by the irrigation department, has led to the cancellation of the proposed water cut.