Mumbai: Water supply cut unlikely, rain set to return

Mumbai is unlikely to face any water supply cut this year as the seven lakes that provide drinking water to the city are 18.21 per cent full as against 17.5 per cent during the corresponding period last year, BMC officials said.

However, due to the absence of rain, the water levels have remained stagnant at around 18 per cent for over one week. Since July 2, when light to moderate rainfall was recorded in the catchment areas of the seven lakes, no rain has been recorded.

The city draws water from Bhatsa, Middle Vaitarna, Upper Vaitarna, Tansa and Modak Sagar lakes in Thane and Nashik districts.

The remaining two are Tulsi and Vihar lakes, both located within the city limits in Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Bhatsa lake in Thane contributes 50 per cent to the total water supply to Mumbai.

In the last 24 hours, while Modak Sagar catchment area had recorded 6 mm of rainfall, Tansa has reported 4 mm, Vihar 16 mm and Tulsi 6 mm of rainfall.

The good amount of rainfall received in June has helped in maintaining the lake levels, officials from BMC’s hydraulic engineer department said. Last year, the city had received heavy rainfall since July.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday forecast that rainfall will resume in the state, including in Thane and Mumbai, by the weekend.

A yellow alert, with a forecast of heavy rain at isolated places, was issued for Thane and Mumbai on Sunday and Monday. Specifically for Mumbai, IMD has forecast light to moderate rain with a few intense spells in the next 48 hours.

An orange alert, with a forecast of heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places, was issued for south Konkan region for Sunday and Monday.

In Mumbai, light rain was recorded in 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Thursday.

The IMD’s Santacruz observatory recorded 1.5 mm of rainfall in 24 hours. In nine hours since 8.30 am, the Santacruz observatory recorded 17 mm of rainfall while the Colaba observatory recorded 7.6 mm during the same period.

Moderate rain was recorded on Thursday morning in south Mumbai. In three hours, beginning 8 am, island city recorded 22.04 mm of rainfall, eastern suburbs 24.41 mm and western suburbs reported light rain at 3.13 mm.