Of the six reservoirs that supply water to Mumbai, two reservoirs, Tulsi and Vihar, are located in the city, while the rest are situated in the neighbouring Thane district.
Though the city received its highest rainfall in a day (83mm in the suburbs) on Sunday, subnormal showers overall since the onset of monsoon this year has compelled the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to divert excess water from overflowing Modak Sagar to the Vihar lake to up its stock level.
Of the six reservoirs that supply water to Mumbai, two reservoirs, Tulsi and Vihar, are located in the city, while the rest are situated in the neighbouring Thane district.
Given that the catchment areas in the city registered less rainfall as compared to those in Thane, Vihar has reported below-average water levels this monsoon. The Vihar lake, as on August 20, registered a stock of about 27,684MLD (million litres per day) of water, which is 25% of the stock that was available last year. Hence, the BMC has been diverting water from Modak Sagar to the Vihar reservoir after the former started overflowing on August 8.
When fully filled, the Vihar lake can supply 110MLD water to Kurla and pockets of south Mumbai.
“We first diverted excess water from Modak Sagar to Tansa, which falls in the line of Thane catchment areas (22km away from Modak Sagar). Now, Modak Sagar’s excess water is also being distributed to Vihar, which has recorded less rainfall than last year,” said a senior civic official.
However, the official added that the BMC has not diverted water to Tulsi dam yet.
At present, the city has 8,53,024MLD of usable water in seven of its lakes, including Middle Vaitarna, which is expected to start supplying water from October this year.
The current stock can quench Mumbai’s thirst for over 270 days.
Earlier, the civic body had diverted excess water from Modak Sagar and Tansa in 2009 when lakes levels had dipped due to scanty rainfall.
Apart from dispensing overflowing water into Tansa and Vihar lake, the civic body has pinned its hopes on cloud seeding to receive more rain.
The experiment is scheduled to be carried in the catchment areas of Bhatsa and Vaitarna rivers in September over 12-15 days, depending upon availability of clouds.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}