Mumbai Lakes Water Level Reaches 93 Per Cent Capacity, Securing Drinking Water Supply

The water levels in Mumbai's seven reservoirs, which are vital for supplying the city's drinking water, have risen to an impressive 93.23 per cent of their total capacity, according to data released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday.

These reservoirs, which include Tulsi, Tansa, Vihar, Bhatsa, Modak Sagar, Upper Vaitarna, and Middle Vaitarna, collectively hold a water stock of approximately 13,49,365 million litres. This significant accumulation of water is a direct result of the ongoing monsoon rains.

Breaking down the figures, the Tansa reservoir is currently at 97.80 per cent of its capacity, while Modak Sagar is almost full at 98.91 per cent. Middle Vaitarna holds 97.14 per cent, Upper Vaitarna is at 89.10 per cent, Bhatsa is at 91.20 per cent, and Tulsi is nearly full at 99.46 per cent. Vihar has reached its full capacity, holding 100 per cent of its useful water level.

The heavy rains have had a substantial impact on the lakes, leading to several of them overflowing. On July 4, the Middle Vaitarna Lake started overflowing, followed by Vihar and Modak Sagar on July 25. Tansa Lake began to overflow on July 24, significantly boosting the city's water reserves by an additional 17 days of supply in just one day.

Tansa Lake, located in the Shahpur region of Thane, supplies approximately 400 million gallons of water to Mumbai daily. It began overflowing on July 26, 2024, marking a critical milestone in the city's water management efforts.

Tulsi Lake, one of the two lakes that directly supply water to the BMC, began overflowing on July 20 at around 8:30 am. Interestingly, this event mirrored the overflow that occurred on the same day last year at 1:28 pm, as reported by the civic authorities.

In terms of weather, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light rainfall for Mumbai on Friday. The latest weather update suggests that the city and its suburbs will experience a partly cloudy sky with occasional light rain over the next 24 hours. The maximum temperature is expected to settle at 32 degrees Celsius, with a minimum of 26 degrees Celsius.

Additionally, a high tide of about 3.65 metres is expected at 9:44 am, with another high tide of 3.08 metres at 9:19 pm. A low tide of approximately 2.37 metres is anticipated at 3:49 pm, as reported by the BMC.

Rainfall data collected over the past 24 hours up to 8 am today indicates that the island city received 0.71 mm of rainfall, eastern Mumbai recorded 0.39 millimetres, and western Mumbai saw 1.46 millimetres.

With the monsoon season in full swing, the city's water reserves continue to increase, ensuring an adequate supply of drinking water for the months ahead.