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Mumbai is facing the prospect of a severe water shortage, with the combined live storage in the seven reservoirs supplying drinking water to the city dropping to less than seven per cent of capacity, the lowest level for this time of year in comparison with 2025, amid a delayed monsoon and inadequate rainfall.

 

According to data released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) Hydraulic Engineer's Department, the seven reservoirs together held 1,00,279 million litres of water, or 6.93 per cent of their total live storage capacity, at 6 am on Monday. On the corresponding day last year, the reservoirs contained 5,71,670 million litres, or 39.5 per cent of capacity.

 

The seven-lake system, Bhatsa, Upper Vaitarna, Modak Sagar, Tansa, Middle Vaitarna, Tulsi and Vihar — has a combined useful storage capacity of 14.47 lakh million litres and supplies around 4,000 million litres of drinking water daily to Mumbai and its metropolitan region.

 

Among the major reservoirs, Upper Vaitarna, Modak Sagar, Tansa and Middle Vaitarna together held 46,192 million litres, equivalent to 6.65 per cent of their combined live storage.

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Vihar recorded the highest storage level at 45.13 per cent of its live capacity, followed by Tulsi at 24.26 per cent and Modak Sagar at 18.47 per cent.

 

Upper Vaitarna remained below its Lower Drawdown Level (LDL), with no usable live storage left. However, authorities are drawing 11,974 million litres of water from below the LDL to maintain supply.

 

Heavy rainfall was recorded in parts of the catchment over the previous 24 hours, with Tulsi receiving 179 mm, Vihar 112 mm, Modak Sagar 38 mm, and the Bhandup Complex 191 mm.

 

The city's water reserves have steadily declined from 10.01 per cent on June 17, when the reservoirs held 1,44,918 million litres.

 

The delayed arrival of the southwest monsoon, which normally reaches Mumbai around June 10, has compounded concerns. Last year, the monsoon reached the city ahead of schedule in May.

 

In response, the BMC has intensified water conservation measures. A 10 per cent water cut has been in force since May 15, while industrial and commercial establishments have been subjected to a 20 per cent supply cut since June 17 following directions from the Maharashtra government's Water Resources Department.