Mumbai likely to experience water shortage

MUMBAI // Mumbai is likely to see a serious water shortage with poor monsoon rains rapidly bringing down water levels in the six lakes that feed the city.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the city’s civic body, has extended the 10 per cent water cut in supply until July 31.

“There is not much rainfall in catchment areas,” Rajiv Jalota, the municipal commissioner, said.

According to official estimates, Mumbai needs about 3,450 million litres of water a day. The municipality now supplies 3,087 million litres to households. The lakes collectively must hold at least 12.54 million litres every year. The present collective stock is approximately 2.12 million litres as against 4.24 million litres a year ago. “Unless rainfall increases in the next few days, water cuts will be here to stay,” the official added.

According to officials, only 70 days of usable water is left in the six lakes. The civic body has directed all its wards to make an inventory of wells and bore wells, to be made operational if the need arises.