Good rains fill up Mumbai's lakes, city's water stock shoots up 60% in 10 days

Incessant and heavy rainfall in the catchment areas has led to an impressive five-fold increase in the collective water stock of seven reservoirs that supply drinking water to Mumbai in a matter of just 10 days, an official said on Friday.

While the water stock recorded on July 5 was 14.76 per cent, it has now risen to 74.82 per cent, the official said.

The metropolis receives its drinking water supply from Upper Vaitarna, Modak Sagar, Tansa, Middle Vaitarna, Bhatsa, Vihar and Tulsi lakes.

On Thursday, two of these dams -- Modak Sagar and Tansa -- located in neighbouring Thane district started overflowing following heavy rains over the past few days. 

"As heavy rains lashed the catchment areas in the last fortnight, two of the seven dams started overflowing in the last 48 hours," a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official said.

Modak Sagar, which has the storage capacity of 36,61,133 million litres per day (MLD), was the first of one to start overflowing from  Wednesday afternoon, while Tansa dam with its storage capacity of 96,894 MLD was the next to overflow from Thursday evening.

The collective water storage capacity of these reservoirs is 14,47,363 MLD. On a daily basis, 3,850 MLD potable water is supplied to the city from these places.

Earlier this month, Powai lake in the city got filled to the brim, but the water from the lake is not potable and it is used only for industrial purposes.

The BMC had earlier implemented a 10 per cent water cut in the city and suburbs, but withdrew it recently following good rainfall in the catchment areas.

Meanwhile, there was a respite from rain on Friday as the city and its suburbs received only light or moderate showers at most places with heavy spells only at a few places.

The official said that India meteorological department has predicted moderate rain in the city and suburbs with the possibility of heavy rains at isolated places in the next 24 hours.

"Occasional strong winds with speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph very likely,” he said.

The island city of Mumbai, its eastern suburbs and western suburbs received 30.26 mm, 48.92 mm, 51.36 mm rainfall in 24 hours ending 8 am on Friday.