40% less water in stock than at same time last year

The six lakes that supply water to Mumbai have 40 per cent less in stock than at the same stage last year.Already struggling with frequent pipeline bursts and leaks, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has more bad news from its data on Modak Sagar, Tansa, Vihar, Tulsi, Upper Vaitarna and Bhatsa.

The total usable water in the lakes together is 2,80,494 million litres as on Tuesday. The same day last year, the lakes had 4,67,493 million litres between them.The low levels in the lakes are indicative of the low content: the Bhatsa, which contributes half the total water supply to Mumbai (including large parts of the eastern suburbs and some parts of the western suburbs), is down to a level of 113.35 metres, after 121.50 metres on April 13 last year.

The level in the Upper Vaitarna Lake, which supplies 20 per cent of the city’s water, is 595.75 metres, close to its lowest drawable level of 595.13 metres. The water in Vihar Lake, one of the oldest, has dropped to 73.56 metres, already below its lowest drawable limit of 73.92 metres.