Water Crisis Looms Over Mumbai as Dam Levels Hit Critical Low of 12.76%

Mumbai, 1st June 2023: Mumbai, the financial capital of India, is facing a severe water crisis as the storage levels in the seven dams that supply water to the city have reached a critical low of only 12.76 percent. With only enough water to last for the next 25 days, the municipal corporation is grappling with the challenge of meeting the water needs of Mumbaikars if the monsoon rains are delayed or insufficient.

The seven dams, namely Udhrva Vaitrana, Modak Sagar, Tansa, Madhya Vaitrana, Bhatsa, Vihar, and Tulsi, are witnessing a rapid depletion of usable water storage. Udhrva Vaitrana dam has already reached zero percent storage capacity, and the levels in other dams are also dwindling due to drought conditions. As a result, the city’s residents will have to rely solely on the available water supply until the arrival of adequate rainfall. Municipal officials estimate that the existing water supply will only last for the next 25 days.

Currently, Mumbai receives a daily supply of 3,800 million liters of water from these dams. The expectation is that the water storage levels will increase with abundant rainfall during the monsoon season. However, until then, the municipal administration has requested permission from the state government to utilize the reserves from Bhatsa and Udhrava Vaitrana dams. Unfortunately, the government has not yet made a decision on this matter, leaving the municipal authorities in a state of concern.

Comparatively, the water storage levels this year are significantly lower than the previous two years, with 17.81 percent recorded on the same day last year and 14.61 percent in 2021.

The current stock levels in each dam are as follows:
Modak Sagar: 28.83 percent
Tansa: 25.06 percent
Median distribution: 10.67 percent
Bhatsa: 11.19 percent
Vihar: 27.90 percent
Tulsi: 32.18 percent
The situation this year marks the lowest water storage level recorded on May 31, with only 1,84,753 million liters available (12.76 percent), highlighting the pressing nature of the crisis. Immediate action is required to ensure an adequate water supply for the city’s growing population and to mitigate the impact of the impending water scarcity.