BMC, corporators split account on water cuts as lakes start to dry up

Following the nearly 10 per cent decrease in level of water in the city lakes, senior officers of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation have started working on strategies like using reserve water stock for sufficient water supply. Despite this, corporators have already begun to blame civic body for water shortage in many parts of the city.

There are seven lakes that supplies water to the city. The total capacity of these lakes is 14.50 lakh million litres. Compared to last year's stock of 14.25 lakh million litres, the present water stock is 13.35 lakh million litres. Mumbai needs 14.47 lakh million litres of water to meet the demand till next monsoon.

"We have to take into account other factors like water evaporation rate. We will review the water stock periodically and act accordingly," said a BMC officer. "We are not imposing water cut as of now. But we will draft strategy and may use reserve stock of water," said Ashok Kumar Tawadia, chief hydraulic engineer.

While Vaitarna has 92,500 ml reserve stock, Bhatsa has 2.25 lakh ml reserve water stock. This stock is enough for two months. In 2015, the BMC enforced 20 per cent water cut and used reserved stock of water for the summer.

Though BMC officers said that there isn't any water cut, corporators across the city are complaining about water scarcity and low pressure in their area.

The water department has undertaken pipeline improvement work in various areas and has started a long-hour water supply in H west (Bandra west) and T (Mulund) wards.

Several water cuts were reported throughout city owing to technical work. But corporators blamed administrative officers for water shortage in Andheri and Jogeshwari area.