Mumbai’s water stock has declined to 15.30% of total reservoir capacity, with the useful water reserve in Upper Vaitarna reaching zero. The BMC has already imposed a 10% water cut and secured approval for additional reserve water, while concerns persist over delayed monsoon rains and the city’s long-term water security.
The water stock in the seven lakes supplying Mumbai has now dropped to 2.13 lakh million litres (ML), or 15.30 per cent of total capacity. The BMC has already imposed a 10 per cent water cut from May 15 to ensure supply until August 19, but concerns persist over the delayed monsoon.
Meanwhile, the useful water stock in the Upper Vaitarna lake fell to zero on Tuesday.
Lake levels continue to decline
Mumbai receives around 4,000 ML of water daily from seven lakes—Modak Sagar, Tansa, Bhatsa, Tulsi, Vihar, Upper Vaitarna and Middle Vaitarna.
Civic data as of June 2 shows that the useful water content in Upper Vaitarna has been exhausted, while Modak Sagar stands at 33.89 per cent, Vihar at 45.71 per cent, Tulsi at 27.10 per cent, Middle Vaitarna at 22.21 per cent, Bhatsa at 14.57 per cent and Tansa at 10.58 per cent.
Despite the declining reserves, the overall stock is higher than the levels recorded on the same date in the previous two years—12.89 per cent in 2025 and 7.59 per cent in 2024.
A civic official said that the State Irrigation Department has approved the BMC’s request for additional reserve water stock from supply lakes Bhatsa (1.4 lakh ML) and Upper Vaitarna (93,500 ML).
Water cuts continue amid delayed monsoon concerns
Water cuts have become a recurring measure in Mumbai during years of low lake levels. The BMC imposed a 10 per cent water cut in 2022, 2023 and 2024, while no curbs were required in 2021 and 2025.
The city also witnessed an extended 10 per cent cut between November 2018 and July 2019, while the highest restriction in recent years was a 20 per cent cut imposed for 15 days in August 2020.
