BMC Reports Water Levels in Mumbai’s Reservoirs Near Full Capacity: Lakes at 98.88% After Heavy Rains

Mumbai, 7th October 2024: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced on Tuesday that the water levels in the seven reservoirs supplying potable water to Mumbai have reached 98.88 %. According to BMC data, the total water stock across Mumbai’s lakes is currently at 14,31,147 million litres, which represents 98.88 % of their full capacity.

Mumbai receives its water supply from the following reservoirs: Upper and Middle Vaitarna, Bhatsa, Tansa, Vihar, Tulsi, and Modak Sagar. The BMC’s data indicates that Tansa is at 98.53 % of its capacity, while Tulsi holds 98.84 %. Vihar Lake has reached its full capacity, at 100 %.

In Modak Sagar, 99.99 % of potable water is available for use. Meanwhile, Middle Vaitarna is at 99.30 %, Upper Vaitarna at 99.58 %, and Bhatsa at 99.35 % of their useful water levels.

Following heavy rains, Middle Vaitarna Lake, one of Mumbai’s main water suppliers, began to overflow on July 4. Vihar and Modak Sagar Lakes also started overflowing on July 25 due to persistent rainfall. On July 24, Tansa Lake overflowed around 4 p.m., significantly boosting the water levels across all seven reservoirs.

Tansa Lake, located in the Shahpur area of Thane, provides approximately 400 million gallons of water to Mumbai. It began to overflow on July 26, 2024. Tulsi Lake, one of the two lakes that supply water directly to the BMC, began overflowing on July 20 at around 8:30 a.m., mirroring a similar event that took place on the same day last year at 1:28 p.m., according to the civic body.

The latest weather update from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts light rainfall and thunderstorms in Mumbai and its suburbs towards the evening. Their update predicts “haze during morning hours becoming partly cloudy towards afternoon/evening, with a possibility of light rain/thundershowers in the city and suburbs” for the next 24 hours.

Sunil Kamble, chief of IMD (Mumbai), earlier informed Mid-Day that the city and its suburbs are likely to experience light rain over the next three to four days. Regarding the withdrawal of the monsoon, he noted, “Typically, the monsoon withdraws from Mumbai between October 5 and October 10. The city will see light rain for the next 3-4 days before the withdrawal.” He also mentioned that the retreat of the monsoon can sometimes be delayed due to prevailing weather conditions.