BMC not to implement water cut in Mumbai as state assures supply

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday said citizens would not have to face a ten percent water cut for now as the state government has promised to supply water to the metropolis from its quota.

The corporation had earlier proposed a ten percent cut in view of dwindling levels of reservoirs, caused by low rainfall during the 2023 monsoon.

It had demanded that the Maharashtra government make water available from its reserve for Mumbai, the BMC said in a release on Friday.

"The proposed ten per cent cut will not happen due to the state government's assurance," it added.

In the previous two years, monsoon was active in the state till October 15, but last year there was no rain in October, the BMC said, adding that the reservoirs supplying water to Mumbai have 5.58 percent less water storage compared to the previous year.

As of March 1, the reservoirs had 42.67 percent of water storage. The civic body, however, appealed to the citizens to use water judiciously. Mumbai receives 3800 MLD (million litres per day) of water from Bhatsa, Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Tansa, Modak Sagar, Vihar and Tulsi reservoirs, located in Mumbai, Thane and Nashik districts.

The civic body has already cut water supply by 15 percent due to non-operational pumps at Pise pumping station in Thane district following a fire at a power transformer there.