Levels of water in seven lakes supplying to Mumbai dip below 25%

MUMBAI: With over a month left for the monsoons to begin, water levels in the seven lakes supplying to the city have dipped to below 25%.
Last year on the same date, water quantum in the seven lakes stood at almost 28%. On May 2, Tuesday the total water stocks in the seven lakes was at 3.51 lakh million litres while on the same date last year the total water stocks were at 4 lakh MLD.
BMC's data states that the Tulsi lake has a 40% stock, followed by 38.66% in Vehar lake, 36.34% at Tansa Lake and 32% at Modak Sagar. Upper Vaitarna and Bhatsa has 23% and 22% each, and Middle Vaitarna having a stock of 13%.
The BMC yet has not announced any water cut for the city. Last year, when lake levels dipped below 20% in June, the civic body had announced a 15% water cut across Mumbai.
Civic officials said that they are closely monitoring the situation and have also written to the state government and requested permission to use reserve water stock of Upper Vaitarna and Bhatsa lakes in case of a delayed monsoon. The official onset date of monsoons over Mumbai is June 11. Senior BMC officials have said there is not much to worry about yet, but have also requested citizens to use water judiciously. Mumbai gets portable water from seven lakes, five of which are located outside the city limits. The percentage of water supplied by the seven lakes shows that the maximum percentage of water comes from Bhatsa--48% while Tulsi and Vihar provide for around 1- 2% of the city's needs, Middle Vaitarna around 12%, Modak Sagar 11%, Tansa 10% and Upper Vaitarna 16%.